Trump Promised Not To Weaponize The Government – But He Is

Those who approve of this might want to consider how they might feel if a Democratic president does it.

Despite assurances on campaign trail that President Donald Trump would not weaponize the government against his political opponents as former President Joe Biden did, Trump is weaponizing the government against his political opponents as former President Joe Biden did.

And “limited government” Republicans are ecstatic.

Shortly after taking office, the president issued a slew of executive orders targeting various law firms that had previously crossed him.

These executive orders included provisions revoking security clearances for lawyers working with these firms, restricting their access to federal buildings, and ending their federal contracts. Many have argued that Trump’s actions are blatant retaliation that threatens several constitutional rights, such as freedom of association, the right to counsel, and others.

Jenner & Block was targeted for employing Andrew Weissman, a prosecutor who participated in special counsel Robert Mueller’s farce of an investigation into the allegations that Trump colluded with the Russian government to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

Trump targeted WilmerHale for employing Mueller, representing various Democrats, and filing suit against the administration during the president’s first term for firing inspectors general.

The White House also moved against Perkins Coie for its role in spreading the Russia collusion hoax on behalf of failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The firm collected oppo research on the president and popularized the now-debunked Steele Dossier, which made a series of allegations against Trump that were about as accurate as Mr. Magoo trying to shoot a moving rabbit.

These are only a few examples. The administration is going after several other firms.

Don’t get me wrong: Some of these firms are legitimately awful. But this does not justify something even more awful: Using state power to coerce political opponents into doing favors for Trump.

Most of these law firms have bent the proverbial knee, agreeing to several of Trump’s demands.

For example, Paul Weiss negotiated a deal with the Trump administration. On March 22, 2025, the firm agreed to provide $40 million in pro bono legal services for causes aligned with President Trump’s favored causes to avoid the order’s penalties. The firm’s chairman announced this decision as a response to the “existential crisis” that could have destroyed the firm.

The Trump administration and its allies will get free legal work in exchange for not using executive power to obliterate these law firms. If lawyers from these firms can’t access federal buildings – including federal courts – they cannot adequately represent their clients. Moreover, if Trump strips their ability to gain government contracts or work with clients who work with the government, it would have a devastating impact on their business.

However, several firms are fighting back. They have filed lawsuits challenging the executive orders. Judges have issued temporary injunctions on the orders. One judge referred to them as “a shocking abuse of power.”

The president’s actions are about as defensible as a serial killer who slaughters elderly women while kicking puppies for laughs. For starters, think of how Republicans and conservatives would react if Biden had done the same to America First Legal or Judicial Watch?

We already know how Republicans would react, don’t we?

If a future Democratic president takes similar action against right-leaning law firms, you can bet that Republicans will rightly lash out – and rightly so. But they won’t have a leg to stand on since they gave a standing ovation to Trump when he did it.

Executive orders were never meant to allow presidents to get revenge on their enemies. Law firms have the First Amendment right to represent whichever clients they choose. The government should never dictate how someone obtains legal representation in America.

Trump’s actions come off as if he wants to discourage lawyers from taking certain cases out of fear of running afoul of his phone and pen. What if someone has a legitimate complaint against a federal agency under Trump? Will they be unable to get representation because law firms are too afraid of taking on a president who has no qualms with using the power of the state against them?

If the Sixth Amendment were a person, it wouldn’t be happy with this.

I get that Democrats engaged in lawfare against Trump in several instances over the past couple of years. I’ve written plenty of articles, wrecking them for their abuse of the legal system.

Leftists at the federal, state, and local levels tried to prosecute him because they believed it would swing the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. Several law firms participated in some of these efforts. Others crossed the president in other ways.

But, believe me, we do not want to go down this road.

When a president can punish political opposition, we are well on our way to the type of authoritarian government we say we don’t want. Limited government is limited government, regardless of party. If we don’t want the government to be used as a cudgel, we can’t cheer it just because of the letter next to the official’s name.