Federal judge blocks Trump administration from revoking whistleblower attorney’s security clearance

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from revoking the security clearance of prominent Washington lawyer Mark Zaid, marking another legal setback for President Donald Trump’s efforts to target perceived political opponents.

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali issued a preliminary injunction preventing the implementation of a March presidential memorandum ordering the revocation of Zaid’s consent. The directive also named fourteen other people, but could not be applied to Zaid as written, according to the ruling.

The decision came the same day the Supreme Court declined to approve Trump’s request to deploy National Guard troops to the Chicago area, marking a second courtroom loss in one day for the administration. Together, the rulings underscore how Trump’s policies and personnel actions have been repeatedly slowed or halted by judges since his return to office.

If reported Through The Washington Post, Zaid filed suit in May, arguing that the withdrawal was motivated by politics rather than legitimate security concerns. In court filings, he described the Trump administration’s move as “improper political retaliation” that threatened his ability to represent clients involved in sensitive national security matters.

Judge Ali agreed, writing that the government cannot use accelerated revocation of consent to punish lawyers for their legal work. “This court joins several others in this district who have ordered the government to use the summary revocation of security clearances to punish attorneys for representing people hostile to it,” Ali said in his order.

The March memorandum stated that it was “no longer in the national interest” for Zaid and others to retain security clearances. The list included several high-profile figures who had drawn Trump’s criticism, including former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, New York Attorney General Letitia James, former President Joe Biden and members of Biden’s family.

The action is part of a broader pattern since Trump’s return to the White House, including leading investigations into critics and issuing executive orders against law firms and attorneys involved in cases he opposes. In August, the government announced it would revoke the clearances of 37 current and former national security officials.

Zaid has practiced national security law for nearly 35 years and represents clients from across the political spectrum, including military officials, law enforcement and whistleblowers. In 2019, he represented an intelligence community whistleblower whose complaint about Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy contributed to Trump’s first impeachment.

Ali emphasized that the ruling does not permanently prevent the government from reviewing Zaid’s consent. The administration can still pursue the repeal through standard procedures unrelated to the presidential memo. The order will come into effect on January 13.

In a statement after the ruling, Zaid said the decision sends a broader message. “This is not just a victory for me,” he said. “It is an indictment of the Trump administration’s efforts to intimidate and silence the legal community, especially attorneys who represent people who dare to question or hold this administration accountable.”

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