UPDATE 1-Trump axes security clearances for law firm Perkins Coie

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he would strip Perkins Coie employees of federal security clearances over the law firm's diversity practices and political activities, as he launched a probe into other legal firms.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he would strip Perkins Coie employees of federal security clearances over the law firm's diversity practices and political activities, as he launched a probe into other legal firms. Seattle-founded Perkins Coie has long drawn criticism from Trump allies over its prior work for Trump's 2016 Democratic election opponent Hillary Clinton.

White House officials were also critical of the firm's involvement in cases challenging Trump administration policies, as well as what it said were instances of racial discrimination at the firm. Perkins Coie did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reporters were invited into the Oval Office as Trump signed an executive order targeting the firm. "This executive order will suspend security clearances and access to certain federal resources for that law firm and also launch a holistic review of unlawful DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) practices at some of the nation's largest law firms," said a Trump aide, Will Scharf.

The aide said the probe would cover some 15 law firms. "Your administration has made it a priority both to end lawfare and weaponization of government, and also to hold those who engaged in lawfare accountable," he said. "One of the law firms that has been involved in that is called Perkins Coie; that's also a law firm that is engaged in unlawful DEI practices."

Trump interjected: "And I watched it take place." The U.S. president said it was "an absolute honor to sign," adding that "it's just terrible. It's weaponization, you could say, weaponization against a political opponent, and it should never be allowed to happen again."

White House officials later said the clearances of individuals at the firm that allow them to access classified government materials would be suspended "pending a review of whether their access to sensitive information is consistent with the national interest." They said federal agencies would refrain from hiring such employees "unless specifically authorized" and block business with contractors that work with Perkins Coie because of their involvement in "partisan lawsuits against the United States."

The company's practices would be reviewed to ensure compliance with laws against racial bias, a White House official said, and agencies directed to "terminate engagements to the maximum extent permitted by law."

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)