By Charles Switzer
2:37am PDT, Mar 27, 2025
Trump Targets Jenner & Block in New Executive Order
On Tuesday, March 25, President
Donald Trump issued a
new executive order that appears to take aim at the law firm Jenner & Block.
The move follows similar actions taken in recent weeks against other legal firms perceived to be linked to Trump's past legal issues. The president specifically singled out Jenner & Block for once employing
Andrew Weissmann, the former deputy to Special Counsel
Robert Mueller during the Russia probe into the 2016 Trump campaign.
Here's everything to know about Trump's newest executive order that many are calling nothing more than a vendetta.
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Weissmann's Role Draws Presidential Ire
Although Andrew Weissmann left Jenner & Block in 2021 and is currently a professor at NYU Law, his public role has remained high-profile. Since 2019, he has appeared on MSNBC as a legal analyst, and in 2023, he began co-hosting the network's "Prosecuting Donald Trump" podcast after
Donald Trump's indictment in New York.
At Tuesday's event, Trump referred to Weissmann as a "bad guy," and the executive order he signed called the firm's past hiring of Weissmann "entirely unjustified."
The order further stated that Jenner & Block "has abandoned the profession's highest ideals."
Broader Criticism of Law Firms
The order didn't stop with Andrew Weissmann. It included broader accusations against legal firms, claiming, "Many big firms take actions that threaten public safety and national security, limit constitutional freedoms, degrade the quality of American elections, or undermine bedrock American principles."
In particular, the president took issue with firms offering free legal services.
Ironically, just last week, Donald Trump had celebrated securing $40 million in pro bono work from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison — a firm he had previously targeted for employing
Mark Pomerantz, a former prosecutor involved in his business fraud case that led to
34 felony convictions.
Legal Pushback and Retractions
Donald Trump later withdrew his executive order against Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison after the firm complied with his requests.
Meanwhile, another targeted firm, Perkins Coie, saw a federal judge step in and temporarily block the president's order against it.
These moves illustrate the increasing legal and political tension between the Trump administration and prominent law firms connected to figures from past investigations or prosecutions involving the then-former president.
Jenner & Block Responds to Trump's Order
In response to the executive order, Jenner & Block released a statement through a spokesperson, referencing the temporary block issued in a similar case.
The firm stated, "We remain focused on serving and safeguarding our clients' interests with the dedication, integrity and expertise that has defined our firm for more than 100 years and will pursue all appropriate remedies."
