In a Brooklyn courtroom, the judge presiding over Huawei’s high-stakes criminal case threw a spotlight on an unexpected obstacle: President Trump’s executive order revoking security clearances from lawyers at Jenner & Block, one of Huawei’s defense firms.
U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly didn’t mince words, flagging the clearance issue as a potential roadblock to Huawei’s right to a full defense. With trial preparations ticking toward a January date, she pressed prosecutors on how they planned to navigate this tangled web, emphasizing that defense attorneys need proper clearance to handle sensitive material.
The Justice Department pledged to help secure clearance for another defense lawyer, but uncertainty loomed large. Jenner & Block is among four major firms caught in Trump’s crosshairs, targeted due to their attorneys’ involvement in cases the administration found politically inconvenient. Alongside Jenner, WilmerHale, Perkins Coie, and Susman Godfrey have all faced suspension of security privileges.
In Washington, Jenner is actively challenging the order in court, seeking to block it outright. Meanwhile, the repercussions ripple through ongoing cases like Huawei’s, where defense teams risk being hobbled by politics.
Huawei faces serious charges including racketeering and trade secret theft, all denied by the company, which claims it’s being unfairly prosecuted. Jenner & Block, led by former federal prosecutor David Bitkower, stands at the frontline of the legal battle — now caught in a broader clash between the government’s security concerns and a defendant’s right to counsel.
As the political chess game unfolds, one thing is clear: the legal fight over security clearances could shape the fate of Huawei’s defense and the trial itself.
