President Donald Trump announced on Aug. 9 that Will Scharf will become White House counsel on Sept. 1, replacing David Warrington who is moving to the private sector. The senior legal post oversees the administration’s litigation strategy and counsel on executive actions, marking the most prominent staff change since Trump’s return to Washington.
Scharf, a former staff secretary, federal prosecutor and clerk for two judges, previously served on Trump’s personal legal team during his criminal and civil defenses. He ran unsuccessfully for Missouri attorney general and argued before the Supreme Court in 2024 on presidential immunity, a case that cleared federal indictments against Trump.
The appointment places a staunch conservative with experience in high‑profile litigation at the helm of the White House legal apparatus, potentially shaping the administration’s approach to immigration due‑process debates, executive orders on citizenship, and ongoing Supreme Court battles. It also consolidates Trump’s reliance on familiar legal allies.
One of the three sources also details a Mississippi Senate race between Democrat Scott Colom and Republican Cindy Hyde‑Smith, a separate political contest unrelated to the White House counsel change, highlighting divergent editorial focus among the reports.