In Washington, President Donald Trump has taken steps to suspend the security clearances of several lawyers from the notable Washington law firm, Covington & Burling. This firm had provided pro bono legal services to special counsel Jack Smith, who had filed criminal charges against Trump, only for those charges to be dismissed following Trump’s recent re-election. This directive, signed at the White House, is part of Trump’s broader campaign against those he perceives as political adversaries.
Covington & Burling, an international firm with notable figures such as former Attorney General Eric Holder among its attorneys, had no direct involvement in Smith’s investigation of Trump. However, the firm recently agreed to represent Smith when it became apparent he was under governmental scrutiny. In their statement on Tuesday, the firm expressed its commitment to defending Smith in his personal capacity, highlighting the trust Smith has in them.
As part of this move, Trump has targeted the firm’s security clearances, directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to suspend any active clearances of Covington attorneys who assisted Smith. This action comes in the wake of Trump previously seeking to revoke the clearances of former intelligence officials who had questioned the legitimacy of a laptop scandal involving Hunter Biden.
When pressed by a reporter about the firm being targeted, Trump referred to his own perceived long-standing victimization by political figures, emphasizing that he had been the object of such targeting for an extended period. His decision appears designed to discourage legal professionals from assisting those who investigated him, as demonstrated in the case of Jack Smith.
Pam Bondi, in line with Republican arguments, maintains that the Justice Department has been wielded inappropriately against conservatives and particularly against Trump under the Biden administration. As part of her initial actions, Bondi established a “weaponization working group” to scrutinize Smith’s activities and those involved in what she described as an “unprecedented raid” on Trump’s residence.
Special counsel Jack Smith was initially appointed in November 2022 by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee investigations into Trump’s handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and his efforts to contest the 2020 election results. These inquiries led to charges against Trump, although the classified documents case was dismissed, and the election interference charges were reduced following a Supreme Court decision. After Trump regained the presidency, Smith chose to drop both cases, citing a longstanding policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
