Trump administration to drop defense of law firm sanctions, WSJ reports

March 2, 2026 at 02:33PM

Trump administration to drop defense of law firm sanctions, WSJ reports

The Trump administration plans to drop its appeals defending executive orders that sanctioned four major U.S. law firms, according to people familiar with the matter. The move signals a shift in how the government will handle challenges to sanctions imposed on the firms.

The sanctions were part of a broader policy approach, targeting entities linked to adversarial actions and sanctions evasion. Legal and political considerations reportedly influenced the decision to discontinue the defense at this stage.

Officials did not immediately provide comment on the rationale or potential implications for ongoing cases tied to the sanctioned firms.