Addressing Risks From Paul Weiss

Executive Order 14237 of March 14, 2025

Addressing Risks From Paul Weiss

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1. Background. Global law firms have for
years played an outsized role in undermining the
judicial process and in the destruction of bedrock
American principles. Many have engaged in activities
that make our communities less safe, increase burdens
on local businesses, limit constitutional freedoms, and
degrade the quality of American elections.
Additionally, they have sometimes done so on behalf of
clients, pro bono, or ostensibly “for the public
good”--potentially depriving those who cannot
otherwise afford the benefit of top legal talent the
access to justice deserved by all. My Administration
will no longer support taxpayer funds sponsoring such
harm.

My Administration has already taken action to address
some of the significant risks and egregious conduct
associated with law firms, and I have determined that
similar action is necessary to end Government
sponsorship of harmful activity by an additional law
firm: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
(Paul Weiss). In 2021, a Paul Weiss partner and former
leading prosecutor in the office of Special Counsel
Robert Mueller brought a pro bono suit against
individuals alleged to have participated in the events
that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on
January 6, 2021, on behalf of the District of Columbia
Attorney General.

In 2022, Paul Weiss hired unethical attorney Mark
Pomerantz, who had previously left Paul Weiss to join
the Manhattan District Attorney's office solely to
manufacture a prosecution against me and who, according
to his co-workers, unethically led witnesses in ways
designed to implicate me. After being unable to
convince even Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg
that a fraud case was feasible, Pomerantz engaged in a
media campaign to gin up support for this unwarranted
prosecution.

Additionally, Paul Weiss discriminates against its own
employees on the basis of race and other categories
prohibited by civil rights laws. Paul Weiss, along with
nearly every other large, influential, or industry
leading law firm, makes decisions around “targets”
based on race and sex. My Administration is committed
to ending such unlawful discrimination perpetrated in
the name of “diversity, equity, and inclusion”
policies and ensuring that Federal benefits support the
laws and policies of the United States, including those
laws and policies promoting our national security and
respecting the democratic process. Those who engage in
blatant discrimination and other activities
inconsistent with the interests of the United States
should not have access to our Nation's secrets nor be
deemed responsible stewards of any Federal funds.

Sec. 2. Security Clearance Review. (a) The Attorney
General, the Director of National Intelligence, and all
other relevant heads of executive departments and
agencies (agencies) shall immediately take steps
consistent with applicable law to suspend any active
security clearances held by individuals at Paul Weiss
and Mark Pomerantz, pending a review of whether such
clearances are consistent with the national interest.

    (b) The Office of Management and Budget shall
identify all Government goods, property, material, and
services, including Sensitive Compartmented Information
Facilities, provided for the benefit of Paul Weiss. The
heads

of all agencies providing such material or services
shall, to the extent permitted by law, expeditiously
cease such provision.

Sec. 3. Contracting. (a) To prevent the transfer of
taxpayer dollars to Federal contractors whose earnings
subsidize, among other things, activities that are not
aligned with American interests, including racial
discrimination, Government contracting agencies shall,
to the extent permissible by law, require Government
contractors to disclose any business they do with Paul
Weiss and whether that business is related to the
subject of the Government contract.

    (b) The heads of all agencies shall review all
contracts with Paul Weiss or with entities that
disclose doing business with Paul Weiss under
subsection (a) of this section. To the extent permitted
by law, the heads of agencies shall:

(i) take appropriate steps to terminate any contract, to the maximum extent
permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation,
for which Paul Weiss has been hired to perform any service;

(ii) otherwise align their agency funding decisions with the interests of
the citizens of the United States; with the goals and priorities of my
Administration as expressed in executive actions, especially Executive
Order 14147 of January 20, 2025 (Ending the Weaponization of the Federal
Government); and as heads of agencies deem appropriate. Within 30 days of
the date of this order, all agencies shall submit to the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget an assessment of contracts with Paul Weiss
or with entities that do business with Paul Weiss effective as of the date
of this order and any actions taken with respect to those contracts in
accordance with this order.

Sec. 4. Racial Discrimination. Nothing in this order
shall be construed to limit the action authorized by
section 4 of Executive Order 14230 of March 6, 2025
(Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP).

Sec. 5. Personnel. (a) The heads of all agencies shall,
to the extent permitted by law, provide guidance
limiting official access from Federal Government
buildings to employees of Paul Weiss when such access
would threaten the national security of or otherwise be
inconsistent with the interests of the United States.
In addition, the heads of all agencies shall provide
guidance limiting Government employees acting in their
official capacity from engaging with Paul Weiss
employees to ensure consistency with the national
security and other interests of the United States.

    (b) Agency officials shall, to the extent permitted
by law, refrain from hiring employees of Paul Weiss,
absent a waiver from the head of the agency, made in
consultation with the Director of the Office of
Personnel Management, that such hire will not threaten
the national security of the United States.

Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.

    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    March 14, 2025.