Trump Taps Will Scharf as White House Counsel

President Donald Trump has selected White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf to serve as White House counsel, with the change taking effect on September 1. Scharf will replace David Warrington and take charge of the administration’s legal and constitutional strategy as the White House heads toward the November midterm elections.

The move shifts a senior adviser from a documentation-focused role into the center of legal decision-making. Officials described the transition as placing Scharf in a position that will steer how the White House responds to congressional oversight and to litigation affecting the administration.

White House counsel role expands beyond internal advice

As staff secretary, Scharf has been responsible for managing documentation tied to the Oval Office. As counsel, his remit broadens to coordinating the legal posture of the presidency across disputes that can involve Congress, the courts, and executive-branch agencies.

In practical terms, the counsel’s office is expected to help organize responses to subpoenas and information requests and to set a unified approach to lawsuits touching on presidential and executive authority. The White House indicated the legal strategy work will be especially relevant with the midterms approaching.

Scharf’s legal track record and White House experience

Scharf previously served as a federal prosecutor and was part of the president’s legal defense team. Officials said he played a key role in the legal effort that resulted in a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity in 2024.

His background also includes work on judicial confirmations during Trump’s first term. That experience is expected to inform how the counsel’s office manages legal strategy that intersects with the federal courts and constitutional questions, according to officials.

Ballroom dispute and potential midterm investigations in focus

Scharf’s appointment lands as the administration faces legal pressure over its $400 million White House ballroom project. A federal appeals court recently halted construction, ruling the project requires explicit congressional approval.

As White House counsel, Scharf will be responsible for navigating disputes tied to that project and other matters that may move through the courts. The role also includes preparing for the possibility of heightened investigative activity, particularly if Democrats secure a majority in Congress this November, officials said.

The personnel change also reflects a wider pattern in the administration’s staffing choices. Scharf’s elevation follows other appointments of former personal legal counsel to senior government posts, including Attorney General Todd Blanche and Solicitor General D. John Sauer.