Trump Targets Lawyers Suing Government, Sparking Legal Backlash

U.S. President Donald Trump is drawing fire from legal advocacy groups after ordering sanctions against lawyers and firms filing lawsuits against his administration. In a memo to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump claimed attorneys are fueling “rampant fraud and meritless claims,” particularly in immigration cases, and urged disciplinary action for alleged misconduct.

The directive also targets law firms involved in what Trump called “baseless partisan” lawsuits, suggesting they be stripped of security clearances and removed from federal contracts. This move comes amid over 100 lawsuits filed during Trump’s second term, challenging White House policies on immigration, transgender rights, and more.

Ben Wizner of the ACLU, which is actively litigating against the administration over immigrant deportations, criticized the order as an attempt to intimidate lawyers and undermine judicial checks on executive power. “Courts can’t play that role without lawyers bringing cases in front of them,” Wizner said.

Law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters, collaborating with the ACLU, condemned the president’s actions as “inexcusable and despicable.” Trump has already suspended security clearances for attorneys at Perkins Coie, Paul Weiss, and Covington & Burling due to their legal work opposing him.

Paul Weiss recently struck a deal with the White House, agreeing to offer $40 million in pro bono work in exchange for lifting sanctions. Meanwhile, Keker is urging firms to support Perkins Coie’s legal challenge against the executive order.

Critics call the president’s actions hypocritical, noting that several pro-Trump lawyers, including Rudy Giuliani, have faced disbarment for ethical violations related to the 2020 election. Advocacy group Lawyers for Civil Rights said Trump is “thumbing his nose at the rule of law” while targeting those who hold him accountable.

The Justice Department has not yet commented.