Trump Names Will Scharf White House Counsel

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that White House staff secretary Will Scharf will become his next White House counsel starting September 1, replacing David Warrington who is departing for the private sector. Scharf, a longtime Trump legal ally, will also hold the title of assistant to the president as he moves from overseeing Oval Office paperwork to serving as the administration's top lawyer just two months before November's midterm elections.

The appointment continues a pattern in which Trump has installed former personal attorneys in senior Justice Department and White House legal roles. Todd Blanche, another ex-Trump lawyer, was confirmed as attorney general over the weekend. D. John Sauer, who argued the presidential immunity case before the Supreme Court, has served as solicitor general since 2025. Scharf himself joined Trump's legal team in 2023 and worked on the federal election interference case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, including the Supreme Court phase that produced a 2024 ruling granting presidents broad immunity from prosecution.

Trump described Scharf on Truth Social as tough, strong and smart, citing his background as a federal prosecutor. Scharf also chairs the National Capital Planning Commission, where he oversaw efforts to advance Trump's disputed White House ballroom construction project. An appeals court halted that project on Friday, adding to questions about the commission's handling of the matter under Scharf's leadership.

The timing of the move carries clear implications for the months ahead. The White House counsel's office advises the president on legal matters and coordinates responses to congressional investigations. If Democrats gain control of the House or Senate in November, that office is expected to face an aggressive wave of subpoenas and demands for testimony. Congressional Democrats have already signaled they are preparing such oversight actions should they win majorities.

Scharf's elevation places another figure with deep personal ties to Trump at the center of any future clashes between the executive and legislative branches. His prior work defending the president in high-stakes litigation and his role advancing a project that drew legal challenges underscore the administration's preference for proven loyalty in positions that manage both internal legal risks and external accountability demands. Warrington's exit leaves Scharf to navigate those responsibilities at a moment when control of Congress remains unsettled.