Elon Musk, a key supporter of former President Donald Trump, criticized U.S. law firms involved in legal challenges to the former president’s policies on Tuesday. The world’s richest man used his social media platform, X, to question which law firms are behind these legal actions, which he sees as hindrances to the will of the people.
“Which law firms are pushing these anti-democratic cases to impede the will of the people?” Musk posted. This marked his first public criticism of law firms involved in lawsuits against the Trump administration, though he did not name any specific firms. Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Tesla CEO, who has advocated for significant cuts to federal spending and the workforce, also criticized judges who have paused some of Trump’s executive actions. He called these judicial decisions a “coup,” further asserting that they were damaging democracy in the U.S.
Musk’s comments come after U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s funding cuts to universities, medical centers, and research institutions. The case was initiated in Boston by the Democratic attorneys general of 22 states, challenging cuts made by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Two law firms, Jenner & Block and Ropes & Gray, represent some of the groups involved in lawsuits related to the NIH funding cuts. These firms have not responded to requests for comment. They are among more than eight law firms, including Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Hogan Lovells, and Perkins Coie, that are currently involved in lawsuits against Trump administration policies concerning funding cuts, immigration restrictions, and transgender rights.
Many of these firms are working on the cases pro bono, but they have declined or not responded to Musk’s comments. Musk has previously criticized law firms by name, notably Perkins Coie, accusing them of “thriving on corruption” for their work with Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election.
While many of the more than 50 lawsuits against Trump’s policies have been brought by legal advocacy groups and unions, law firms have played a significant role in these challenges as well.
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