President Donald Trump announced Sunday that Will Scharf, the current staff secretary, will serve as the new White House counsel beginning September 1. According to reports from Reuters, Scharf will replace David Warrington, who is leaving the administration to join the private sector. Trump praised Scharf on Truth Social, stating he is 'Tough, Strong, and Smart! He also loves our Country, and respects the Law.' The president emphasized that Scharf previously represented him in numerous cases, including at the Supreme Court, during the Biden Administration's 'corrupt and illegal campaign of Weaponization.'
As reported by Reuters, Scharf previously served as a federal prosecutor and represented Trump in multiple cases, including at the Supreme Court. In his current role as staff secretary, Scharf's most public-facing responsibility is shepherding executive orders through the signing process in the Oval Office, providing the president with brief descriptions of each order before signing. Scharf also mounted an unsuccessful run for Missouri attorney general in 2024 while working on Trump's legal team before taking office for a second term. He served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Missouri from 2020 to 2022.
According to Reuters, the White House counsel's office serves as the primary White House contact for the Justice Department and handles presidential pardons, judicial appointments, and legislation reviews. The office also manages congressional investigations into the administration and lawsuits against the president when he is sued in his official capacity. The appointment comes at a time when the office will be handling potential investigations into Trump's administration, particularly as Democrats have vowed to pursue investigations into Trump and his administration if they are successful in November's midterm elections.
As reported by Reuters, Trump named Scharf as chair of the National Capital Planning Commission in July 2025, an executive branch agency with jurisdiction over construction and major renovations to government buildings in the region. The commission approved Trump's plans to build a massive ballroom at the White House, which involved demolishing the East Wing, a project that has been the subject of an ongoing legal battle. Trump's ballroom won final approval from the NCPC in April, though a divided federal appeals court ruled Friday that construction on the project must stop because Congress had not approved it. Trump has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court, and the project is already well on its way and has begun to rise above ground on the east side of the White House.
