Trump Yanks Clearances From Jack Smith’s Team, Scolds Reporter Worried About Who He’s ‘Targeting’

President Donald Trump signed a new order on Tuesday suspending security clearances for some of the people who worked with Special Counsel Jack Smith in the legal cases against him prior to the 2024 presidential election.

Trump referred to the order as “the deranged Jack Smith signing — or bill” as he prepared to sign. “Nobody knows about it more than me,” he said of the efforts made in the courts to “clog up government” and weaponize it against certain people or agendas.

WATCH:

BREAKING: President Trump signs an order suspending security clearances for Covington & Burling LLP employees who worked with deranged Jack Smith to weaponize government. pic.twitter.com/fKhCbkNP1j

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 25, 2025

The order suspends clearances for employees of the law firm Covington & Burling LLP, some of whom did pro bono work for Smith’s team, and will subject them to further review. Trump also noted that other law firms might find themselves in similar situations in the future.

“The weaponization of our system by the law firms, even pro bono work they’re doing just in order to clog up government, stop government, and — nobody knows about it more than me,” Trump said. “And hopefully that’ll never happen again.”

One reporter attempted to interrupt, asking a question about troops, but he cut her off before she could finish: “Wait, I just want to savor this one, please.”

“Who would like this pen?” Trump asked, waving the writing implement as several people in the room laughed. After a brief pause, he tossed the pen to someone off-camera, saying, “Here, why don’t you send it to Jack Smith.”

Trump did eventually take questions, but he appeared to be in no mood for questions sympathetic to Smith’s team.

WATCH:

.@POTUS slams a Fake News reporter: "I've been targeted for four years… I was the target of corrupt politicians for four years. Don't talk to me about targeting." pic.twitter.com/tdp5Vj0uhb

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 25, 2025

One reporter asked whether Trump was concerned about the optics of “targeting an individual firm or targeting individuals who aren’t Jack Smith,” and the president stopped him cold.

“Excuse me,” Trump interrupted. “I’ve been targeted for four years, longer than that. So you don’t tell me about targeting. I was the target of corrupt politicians for four years, and then four years after that. So don’t talk to me about targeting.”