On Friday, new reporting by Politico revealed that the Trump administration has taken action against a law firm helming several multimillion-dollar lawsuits against President Donald Trump, including suits involving the White House ballroom and Kennedy Center. According to Politico, the Department of Health and Human Services cancelled two contracts it gave this year to Foley Hoag.
"In June," writes Politico, "HHS awarded a contract worth up to $12 million to Foley Hoag for legal services for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, according to USASpending.gov. Contracting data shows that $5.9 million of that contract has already been 'obligated,' or legally promised, to the firm. In May, HHS also awarded a contract worth up to $9.1 million to the firm for 'legal support for CMS drug pricing initiatives' and $4.4 million has already been obligated. HHS is the only Cabinet agency that has had contracts with the firm during the Trump administration during the Trump administration."
Politico asked HHS about the contracts, and a spokesperson said simply, “HHS does not have any existing contracts with Foley Hoag.”
According to Politico, "Foley Hoag is representing the National Trust for Historic Preservation as it sues the Trump administration over the White House ballroom and for a group of cultural organizations that is suing to prevent the Kennedy Center from being physically altered without a required public review. It also has represented Power Forward Communities to sue the EPA about canceling a $2 billion clean energy grant, worked to get bond hearings for immigrants arrested by ICE, and helped Human Rights Watch and other groups in suing the Trump administration over its efforts against the International Criminal Court."
This would not be the first time Trump has taken revenge on law firms that crossed him. Early in his second term, he signed a series of executive orders punishing firms he accused of “weaponizing” the legal system against him and promoting DEI. These orders barred several prominent law firms from entering federal buildings, revoked their security clearances, and terminated government contracts held by their clients. These firms then sued the Trump administration, arguing that the orders violated the First Amendment and the separation of powers. Federal judges blocked the orders, deeming them unconstitutional, and the DOJ eventually dropped most of its cases. A handful of firms, however, settled by agreeing to provide pro bono work.
Trump has plowed ahead with his ballroom construction and attempts to put his name on the Kennedy Center despite a number of legal setbacks. While his efforts regarding the Kennedy Center have largely been blocked by the courts -- prompting him to threaten to demolish it -- the Supreme Court has allowed him to continue moving forward with the ballroom. Both projects are wildly unpopular, with only 33 percent of Americans supporting the ballroom construction and 24 percent supporting the addition of Trump's name to the Kennedy Center.