Donald Trump has secured a $40 million legal settlement from the powerful D.C. law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, following an executive order he issued cutting all federal ties with the firm. The firm had drawn the ire of the Trump administration due to its past connections to former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, who was previously involved in an investigation into Trump’s finances.
The settlement includes $40 million worth of legal services to be directed toward causes the administration supports, including the President’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. In addition, the firm agreed to eliminate its DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies and acknowledged that Pomerantz’s conduct posed a risk of politicizing the justice system.
Trump’s executive order not only blocked the firm from working with the federal government but also barred its members from entering federal buildings. That move appeared to exert immediate pressure on the firm, which quickly sought resolution through the settlement.
While Pomerantz continues to deny any wrongdoing, the firm’s decision to concede and contribute to administration-backed initiatives marks a significant shift—and a win—for Trump’s push to reshape how legal power interacts with political accountability in Washington.
