Judges Question President Trump's Executive Orders Targeting Law Firms Over Security Clearances
U.S. appeals court judges are scrutinizing President Donald Trump's executive orders that target four major law firms, questioning the legitimacy of his authority over security clearances. The orders, which were previously struck down by four lower courts as unconstitutional, aimed to restrict the firms' access to government buildings, cancel their clients' government contracts, and revoke their security clearances. Paul Clement, representing the law firms, argued that the orders bypassed a traditional 13-step security analysis and were intended to punish the firms for their client advocacy. The Justice Department, represented by Abhishek Kambli, defended the orders, claiming that the hiring decisions of the law firms were not constitutionally protected and that the judicial branch lacks authority over security clearance reviews. 
