Trump order targeting law firm WilmerHale blocked as 'unconstitutional,' federal judge rules
Trump's order sought to limit the influence of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP by urging federal agencies to suspend security clearances for the firm's employees as well as cancel contracts with the organization. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon found that the order violated the Constituion's First, Fifth and Sixth Amendments, as well as separation of powers.
"For the reasons set forth below, I have concluded that this order must be struck down in its entirety as unconstitutional," Leon wrote. "Indeed, to rule otherwise would be unfaithful to the judgment and vision of the Founding Fathers!"
Leon argued that Trump's order served as a threat to law firms across the country.
"If you take on causes disfavored by President Trump, you will be punished!" Leon wrote. "Other firms facing similar executive orders have capitulated to President Trump."
WilmerHale drew Trump's ire as the home firm of Robert Mueller, who served as special counsel during Trump's first term and investigated alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Federal judges have been a bane to Trump's agenda in the opening months of his return to the White House, foiling or delaying key aspects of his immigration and economic plans.
A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily halted the administration's effort to kill New York City's controversial congestion pricing program as well.
U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Liman issued a temporary restraining order barring the administration from getting rid of the program and withholding federal funding if the city failed to nix the program.
Another federal judge in Massachusetts chastised senior Trump officials Monday night for failing to comply with his court orders after a group of migrants was deported from the U.S. to South Sudan.
U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy rejected Trump's request to amend or withdraw the judge's earlier decision requiring them to keep in U.S. custody six migrants who were deported to South Sudan without due process or notice.
"It turns out that having immigration proceedings on another continent is harder and more logistically cumbersome than defendants anticipated," Murphy said in his order, noting that the Trump administration is free to return individuals to have the interviews carried out on U.S. soil.
The salvo comes as Murphy, a federal judge in Boston, presides over a class-action lawsuit from migrants who are challenging deportations to third countries, including South Sudan, El Salvador and other countries, including Costa Rica, Guatemala and others that the administration has reportedly eyed in its ongoing wave of deportations.
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1 of 2 | President Donald Trump (pictured during a meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., in June) has proposed a 100% tariff on semiconductors and possibly a 300% rate. U.S.-based Applied Materials' stock price slumped by double digits on Friday after the semiconductor equipment maker reported a projected decline in revenue amid tariff worries in China. File Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Applied Materials' stock price slumped by double digits on Friday after the semiconductor equipment maker reported a projected decline in revenue amid tariff worries in China. On the Standard and Poor's 500 index, the company's stock decreased 11% at the opening bell and was trading at $162.09, down 13.87%, at 2 p.m. Entering trading, Applied Materials was up more than 15% for the year. The stock reached $199.29 on July 15 with the record $235.99 in April 2024. The company, based in Santa Clara, Calif., reported the sixth consecutive quarter of revenue growth, including $7.3 billion in the third quarter, but foresees a weaker situation in the next quarter. They initially projected $6.7 billion in revenue for the quarter. "We are expecting a decline in revenue in the fourth quarter driven by both digestion of capacity in China and non-linear demand from leading-edge customers given market concentration and fab timing," Brice Hill, senior vice president and CFO at Applied Materials, said. "We are navigating and adapting to the near-term uncertainties by leveraging our robust supply chain, global manufacturing footprint and deep customer relationships." CEO Gary Dickerson, during an earnings call with analysts, said the current macroeconomic situation and trade issues have fueled "increasing uncertainty and lower visibility," mainly within its business in China. In addition, he said their forecast does not account for pending export license applications and a substantial backlog of products. Dickerson noted the easing of spending from customers, with Chinese clients cutting spending after increasing equipment manufacturing in the region. President Donald Trump has proposed a 100% tariff on semiconductors and possibly a 300% rate. Exempt companies would be those with manufacturing facilities in the United States. Applied Materials doesn't make chips, and instead supplies equipment, services and software used by the makers of the chips. The company's largest plant for logistics and logistics is in Austin, Texas. On Monday, Trump extended a tariff pause until Nov. 10 on products sent to the United States from China. Originally, he threatened 145% duty, but it was later lowered to 30% plus the baseline tariffs imposed on nearly all U.S. trading partners. The baseline remains in effect. In June, Trump announced a trade agreement with China over rare earth minerals. Under the deal, China would export rare earth minerals to the United States with both countries reducing their tariffs for 90 days. Rare earth minerals fuel energy sources for mobile devices and electric vehicles. Despite uncertainty, Applied Equipment in its report wrote that "we remain very confident in the longer-term growth opportunities for the semiconductor industry and Applied Materials. The company's adjusted earnings of $2.11 per quarter was short of the $2.39 expected by LSEG. Net income hit $1.78 billion, or $2.22 per share. One year ago, it was $1.71 billion, or $2.05 per share. The gross margin was 48.8% compared with 47.3% one year ago, and the operating margin was 30.6% vs. 28.7% in 2024. The company specializes in materials engineering solutions for semiconductors, flat panel displays and solar photovoltaic industries. The company's revenue in semiconductor equipment is No. 1 in the world, followed by the Dutch company ASML. Sales at all three Applied Materials units rose: Semiconductor Systems at $5.43 billion, Applied Global Services at $1.60 billion and and Display t a$263 million. The company's market capitalization is $151.06 billion. It was founded in 1967 as a startup.
