In a move already drawing legal fire and public outrage, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday aimed squarely at Susman Godfrey LLP — the powerhouse law firm that successfully represented Dominion Voting Systems in its $787 million defamation settlement against Fox News.
Legal experts and civil rights groups are calling it what it appears to be: a blatant act of political retaliation.
“There were some very bad things that happened with these law firms,” Trump said from the Oval Office, offering no evidence, just familiar grievances.
The executive order bans all Susman Godfrey employees from accessing federal buildings, strips them of any security clearances, and demands federal agencies sever contracts with the firm’s clients. The administration also called for an investigation into alleged violations of federal employment discrimination law, tying the firm to a wider probe into diversity and inclusion practices — a hallmark of the Trump-era attack on DEI.
A Law Firm That Beat the Right at Its Own Game
Susman Godfrey rose to national prominence after helping Dominion Voting Systems take on Fox News, which repeatedly aired conspiracy theories falsely claiming the 2020 election had been rigged. The settlement, reached in 2022, marked one of the largest defamation payouts in U.S. history and publicly dismantled Trump’s election fraud narrative in court.
The firm is currently representing Dominion in a similar case against MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, another key figure in Trump’s post-election disinformation machine.
“This isn’t about the law. It’s about vengeance,” said Maya Cunningham, a former DOJ official under President Obama. “He’s punishing a firm for beating his allies in court. It’s authoritarian behavior, plain and simple.”
The Legal Community Fires Back
Within hours of the executive order’s announcement, Susman Godfrey responded with sharp defiance.
“There is no question that we will fight this unconstitutional order,” the firm said in a statement. “We believe in the rule of law, and we take seriously our duty to uphold it. This principle guides us now.”
The American Bar Association, ACLU, and multiple legal scholars have condemned the order as an unprecedented assault on the independence of the legal profession.
“This sets a terrifying precedent,” said Cornell Law professor Benjamin Alston. “If a president can blacklist law firms for who they represent, then the rule of law is on life support.”
A Pattern of Retaliation and Rewriting the Rules
Trump’s targeting of the firm aligns with a broader, well-documented pattern: using federal power to punish perceived enemies and undermine institutions that challenge him. Legal experts point to past efforts to discredit judges, remove prosecutors, and even pressure the Justice Department to back his claims of election fraud.
The inclusion of Susman Godfrey in a list of 20 law firms under EEOC scrutiny raises eyebrows. Trump’s executive order references “possible discrimination” in their DEI programs — a catch-all attack that echoes recent GOP efforts to dismantle diversity initiatives across corporate America and higher education.
“This is performative politics designed to score points with his base while chilling legal opposition,” said Jennifer Wu, a New York-based civil rights attorney.
What Comes Next
Susman Godfrey is expected to challenge the executive order in federal court. Legal analysts say the order is likely unconstitutional and may be struck down swiftly.
But for now, the message is clear: Trump’s enemies in court may become targets in government.
And with the 2024 election still casting a long shadow, critics warn that Trump’s grip on his political narrative is growing darker — and more dangerous.
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Ok now the sky is falling because Trump is coming after the the people that harrassed him and his alise but it was just fine when Trump was being attacked!
It’s amazing how one sided one can write articles of publication. It should be against the law to be able to write articles based on personal feelings and political beliefs.
Trump is malicious. I wonder how Jesus is going to handle him?
I would love to see these law firms go after some of the democrats, but they won’t. To be honest, aclu in my view has oppressed many whites and others over the years that don’t meet certain a criteria. Yes, I was one of them. I do wonder why none of them are going after the voting laws in place today and years before knowing that something is not right. Just my views and only my view