Trump announces staff secretary Will Scharf will be his new White House counsel
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Sunday that his new White House counsel will be Will Scharf , the staff secretary who as the Trump-appointed head of the National Capital Planning Commission helped secure approval…
President Donald Trump revealed on Sunday that Will Scharf, currently serving as the staff secretary, will assume the role of White House counsel starting September 1. Scharf, who previously represented Trump in various cases, including a Supreme Court appearance, will replace David Warrington, who is departing to join the private sector.
Trump praised Scharf's toughness, strength, intelligence, and patriotism in a message on Truth Social. This move comes as the midterm elections approach, with Democrats poised to investigate Trump and his administration if they secure victory in November. The White House counsel's office is responsible for providing legal and policy advice to the president, handling presidential pardons, managing judicial appointments, and overseeing legislative review.
Trump previously appointed Scharf as chair of the National Capital Planning Commission in July 2025, overseeing construction projects in the region, though a federal appeals court recently ruled that construction on a $400 million ballroom project must halt due to lack of congressional approval, a decision Trump plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.