President Donald Trump, in a heated exchange with a reporter on Tuesday, rejected claims that he was targeting individuals or firms linked to special counsel Jack Smith, instead pointing to his own history of being investigated.
“I’ve been targeted for four years, longer than that, so don’t you tell me about targeting. I was the target of corrupt politicians for four years and then four years after that, so don’t talk to me about targeting,” Trump said when asked about concerns over his latest directive.
The exchange came as Trump signed a memo ordering the suspension of any security clearances held by lawyers at the Washington-based firm Covington & Burling, which provided pro bono legal services to Smith. The firm, which has represented Smith in his personal capacity, includes prominent figures such as former Attorney General Eric Holder and ex-Justice Department official Lanny Breuer, who had previously hired Smith to lead the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section in 2010.
Trump’s order, signed at the White House, is his latest move in a broader campaign against figures involved in the criminal cases that dogged him before his return to the presidency. The memo directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to suspend any active clearances held by Peter Koski, an attorney representing Smith, as well as “all members, partners, and employees” of Covington who assisted Smith during his tenure as special counsel. The suspensions are pending a review of their roles in what the administration describes as the “weaponization of the judicial process.”
The firm defended its decision to represent Smith, stating, “Covington serves as defense counsel to Jack Smith in his personal, individual capacity. We look forward to defending Mr. Smith’s interests and appreciate the trust he has placed in us to do so.”
The move follows Trump’s previous actions against those he views as political adversaries. Last month, he revoked the clearances of more than four dozen former intelligence officials who had signed a letter suggesting the Hunter Biden laptop controversy bore the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation campaign.
Smith, who led two criminal cases against Trump—one related to classified documents and another on election interference—saw both cases collapse after Trump returned to office. A judge ruled that Smith’s appointment was illegal in the documents case, while the Supreme Court narrowed the scope of the election-related charges.
A financial disclosure report revealed that Smith had received $140,000 in pro bono legal services from Covington & Burling before leaving his post in January.
Bondi, who has led the administration’s charge against what she calls a politically biased Justice Department, previously announced the creation of a “weaponization working group” to scrutinize Smith’s work and the prosecutors involved in the legal actions against Trump.
After signing the directive, Trump reportedly suggested that the pen he used be sent to Smith, drawing laughter from those present in the Oval Office.
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