President Trump announced that Will Scharf, his former staff secretary and a staunch conservative lawyer, would take over as White House counsel, replacing David Warrington. This marks one of the few significant staffing shifts in the White House since Trump’s return to Washington.
Scharf has aligned closely with some of the most controversial elements of the president’s agenda. Yet, he has also raised concerns about policies that his colleagues believe could jeopardize the presidency, such as discussions about suspending due process rights for undocumented immigrants earlier this year.
Trump made the announcement on his social media platform, indicating that Scharf’s transition would occur next month. The decision reflects a notable change in senior staffing during Trump’s second term, which has otherwise remained relatively stable compared to the volatility of his first four years.
Trump lauded Warrington chuig his “truly outstanding job” during his tenure as the general counsel of the 2024 campaign. He also noted his familiarity with Scharf, who had served on Trump’s personal legal team during the president’s period out of office, a time marked by numerous criminal and civil matters. Scharf previously ran unsuccessfully for Missouri’s attorney general before Trump’s second term.
The announcement did not specify who would succeed Scharf as staff secretary, a key White House role that traditionally acts as the final checkpoint for documents before they reach the president. Trump’s allies have historically found alternative channels to convey information directly to him.
Scharf’s background includes service as a federal prosecutor and as a clerk for two federal judges. He was part of the legal team that presented arguments before the Supreme Court in 2024 regarding Trump’s potential immunity for actions taken while in office. That case involved federal charges related to Trump’s attempts to impede the peaceful transfer of power after the 2020 election.
The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, a decision that effectively nullified the federal indictments against Trump and, according to insiders, has emboldened him to extend executive power during his second presidency.
Last week, Scharf, alongside Stephen Miller, presented two executive ordersഷംer at the Oval Office. These orders aimed دم to revise eligibility for automatic birthright citizenship in the United States. The measures followed a 6‑to‑3 Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a previous Trump executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship as enshrined in the 14th Amendment.
Trump oversaw the demolition of the East Wing without public announcement, a move critics argued was illegal absent congressional approval. A federal appeals court ruled that construction relativos of the ballroom could not proceed without such authorization, prompting Trump to vow an appeal to the Supreme Court.
In internal discussions on habeas corpus matters, Scharf highlighted the lack of precedent for abandoning due process in a confidential memo. He privately cautioned colleagues that suspending constitutional rights, even for migrants, should not be pursued, emphasizing the importance of upholding the rule of law.”Also Read
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