President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a sweeping executive order launching a federal investigation and crackdown on the law firm Susman Godfrey LLP, the legal powerhouse behind Dominion Voting Systems’ highly publicized 2020 election defamation lawsuits—including its $787.5 million settlement from Fox News.
The firm is also pursuing defamation cases against other Trump allies, including Rudy Giuliani and Mike Lindell.
The new directive orders the Department of Justice, the Office of Management and Budget, and intelligence agencies to immediately initiate a full-scale investigation into Susman Godfrey, citing a pattern of “egregious conduct, racial discrimination, and weaponization of the legal system” against political opponents and the American public.
“THIS IS AN EO THAT TAKES MEASURES AGAINST SUSMAN GODFREY LAW FIRM TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN’T ACCESS CERTAIN GOVERNMENT RESOURCES AND GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.”@POTUS pic.twitter.com/WzdScot2R3
— Real America’s Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) April 9, 2025
The action follows Trump’s broader effort to dismantle the “legal-industrial complex” working hand-in-hand with deep-state bureaucrats and far-left political groups.
Trump’s order accuses Susman Godfrey of spearheading legal warfare aimed at silencing dissent, targeting political figures, and using taxpayer-backed legal tools to undermine election integrity.
The 6-section executive order makes clear that Susman Godfrey is no longer welcome in the halls of power:
-
Section 1 denounces the firm for pushing radical “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies — including programs that offer jobs and scholarships based solely on race — and declares these practices “un-American and unlawful.”
-
Section 2 calls for the suspension of security clearances held by Susman employees and ends the firm’s access to government resources and classified spaces.
-
Section 3 orders a freeze and review of all federal contracts involving Susman or its affiliates, urging agencies to cancel deals where possible.
-
Section 4 ties the move to broader efforts to dismantle race-based hiring practices in federal contracting and lawfare against conservatives.
-
Section 5 prohibits Susman personnel from entering federal buildings or being hired by the U.S. government without high-level waivers.
-
Section 6 underscores that this order must be interpreted in a way that defends American national security and respects existing law.
“This is about rooting out law firms that use our justice system as a political weapon,” said White House staff secretary Will Scharf. “Susman Godfrey has made millions helping silence questions about the 2020 election. That ends now.”
Susman Godfrey is now the sixth firm to face consequences under Trump’s campaign to dismantle politically weaponized legal firms. Previous targets include:
-
Covington & Burling — for representing Hunter Biden and lobbying on behalf of Chinese tech firms.
-
Perkins Coie — Hillary Clinton’s go-to firm and architect of the Steele Dossier hoax.
-
Paul Weiss, Jenner & Block, and WilmerHale — major players in shielding corporate and political elites from accountability.
