Overview

• U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan ruled that Trump’s executive order violated the First and Fifth Amendments and threatened the independence of the bar.
• This marks the fourth straight ruling by federal judges striking down directives that sought to suspend security clearances and restrict federal access for targeted firms.
• The administration has not appealed any of the injunctions, leaving all four firms free from enforcement of the contested orders.
• Nine prominent law firms, including Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps, have instead settled with the White House by pledging nearly $1 billion in pro bono services to avoid similar sanctions.
• Legal scholars warn that the dispute underscores risks of executive overreach and could prompt a Supreme Court test of presidential authority.