In a move that blurs the line between courtroom clout and global commerce, Donald Trump is hinting he’ll tap some of America’s most elite law firms to offer their legal muscle—for free—in upcoming trade negotiations. No names, no contracts (yet), just the usual Trumpian wink and nod that the nation’s finest litigators might soon be ghostwriting America’s trade policy… pro bono.
During a cabinet huddle at the White House, Trump floated the idea with signature bravado: “We have a lot of law firms that have paid me a lot of money in the form of legal fees. We’re going to probably use those firms.” The implication? Past billings now buy future favors, and trade lawyers may soon be answering calls from Pennsylvania Avenue.
Four firms—Paul Weiss, Skadden Arps, Milbank, and Willkie Farr—have already inked deals to donate hundreds of millions in legal services to administration-backed causes, from veterans’ support to government reform. While none were explicitly named in Thursday’s meeting, their recent generosity didn’t go unnoticed.
Of course, not all firms on Trump’s radar are there voluntarily. Some—like Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, and Jenner & Block—found themselves on the receiving end of executive orders restricting access to federal buildings and threatening to cancel contracts with their clients. Their crime? Representing Trump’s critics or employing lawyers tied to past investigations of his administration. Several challenged those orders in court—and, so far, judges have leaned in their favor.
Despite the courtroom skirmishes, Trump’s pitch is clear: law firms that want a seat at the grown-up table can earn their keep through loyalty, or at least utility. Especially if they’re willing to help hammer out trade agreements at no cost.
Adding another twist, Trump admitted he briefly slammed reciprocal tariffs on more than 75 countries before dialing it back—except for China—after those nations came knocking, eager to talk. Whether future deals will be shaped by attorneys from the nation’s top firms remains to be seen, but Trump made it clear that the legal favors might not stop when the presidency does.
“Hopefully I won’t need that… after we leave. Maybe I’ll need it,” he mused, leaving open the door for yet another Trump chapter—this time, with a legal entourage in tow.
For now, America’s next round of trade deals might be written not in think tanks or backrooms, but in the posh boardrooms of billion-dollar firms, their lawyers moonlighting as unpaid architects of Trump’s global strategy.
