This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: Today I’m focusing on powerful private institutions ca…

Published 3 months ago on Mar 23rd 2025, 12:00 pm
By Web Desk

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here.
Welcome to The Logoff: Today I’m focusing on powerful private institutions caving to Donald Trump’s demands — and a law firm demonstrating another way forward.
What’s the latest? Donald Trump took back an executive order attacking Paul, Weiss — one of the country’s largest law firms — after it agreed to do $40 million worth of free legal work on causes favored by the Trump administration. Trump’s order had pulled the firm’s security clearances and tried to terminate its federal contracts because it had sued January 6 rioters and because a former partner had worked on a Trump prosecution case.
Is this normal? No — but it is part of a trend of powerful private sector institutions bowing to Trump’s threats to their business. Columbia University just gave in to Trump’s demands after he threatened $400 million in federal funding. And colleges across the country are taking similar steps to protect their own funding.
What other choice do they have? To fight. Perkins Coie, another firm whose security clearances Trump targeted, sued. And, last week, a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from enforcing Trump’s order, finding it likely violates the firm’s First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment rights. (In response, the Trump administration today tried to get the judge kicked off the case.)
What’s the big picture? These are powerful institutions with vast resources. Yes, they’re still less powerful than the federal government, and yes, they have plenty to lose. (The Times reports that Paul, Weiss considered its own legal challenge but deemed the financial risk too high.) But we all have even more to lose if the rule of law is replaced by a system in which the president can use the federal government to pursue personal vendettas and enforce compliance with his agenda.
And with that, it’s time to log off... I really enjoyed this (very short) piece about a Dutch initiative that helps people enjoy something soothing online — in this case, watching fish swim — and also engage in a small act of environmentalism. You can read about the “fish doorbell” here. Thanks for all the book recommendations, and I’ll see you back here on Monday. Have a good weekend!

Massive hike in gold rates across Pakistan
- 42 minutes ago

Cambridge offers candidates free re-sits for leaked exam papers
- 2 hours ago

Iranian hackers threaten to leak emails of Trump's close aides
- 5 hours ago

New great feature for people using Gmail on Android phones
- 3 hours ago

Over 50,000 evacuated as wildfires devastate Turkey’s Izmir
- 18 minutes ago

Prisoners lists exchanged between Pakistan, India
- 2 hours ago

Student dies, 8 injured as van catches fire near Ahmadpur Sharqia
- 32 minutes ago
Dubai successfully tests first air taxi
- 10 minutes ago
Judicial Commission approves appointments of CJs of three high courts
- 2 hours ago

Shadab Khan suffers shoulder injury, likely to rest for 3 months
- 4 hours ago

Thai court suspends PM over phone call leak
- 4 hours ago

Maternity homes sealed after 20 newborns died in Pakpattan
- 3 hours ago
You May Like
Trending