Trump Names Will Scharf White House Counsel, Replacing Warrington

Trump elevates his current staff secretary and former Supreme Court advocate to the top legal post, effective September 1, as David Warrington departs for the private sector.

First Published: August 9, 2026, 1:39 PM ET

WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald Trump named Will Scharf, the current WHITE HOUSE staff secretary and a former Supreme Court advocate for the president, as the next White House Counsel, effective September 1.

The appointment installs a longtime Trump lawyer atop the executive branch’s in-house legal office. It pushes out David Warrington, the departing counsel, who is leaving for the private sector. The move places a defender who argued Trump’s cases into the office that vets executive orders, judicial nominations and the legal risks of presidential action.

“Will is Tough, Strong, and Smart,” Trump said in the post, adding that Scharf“loves our Country, and respects the Law.”

Here is the full post on truthsocial: “It is my Great Honor to announce that, effective September 1st, Will Scharf will become Assistant to the President and White House Counsel, replacing a man, David Warrington, who has done a truly outstanding job as WHITE HOUSE Counsel and, before that, for my Presidential Campaign. David will be going on to the Private Sector. Will has done an amazing job in his current role as White House Staff Secretary, and has also served as Chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission. I know Will well! He previously represented me in numerous cases, including at the Supreme Court, during the Biden Administration's corrupt and illegal campaign of Weaponization. He also previously served as a Federal Prosecutor, worked as an attorney in private practice, clerked for two Federal Appeals Court Judges, and was a top student at both Princeton University, and Harvard Law School. Will is Tough, Strong, and Smart! He also loves our Country, and respects the Law. Will Scharf will do a great job as White House Counsel! Trump” on August 9, 2026 at 5:27 PM ET.

This is Trump’s 10th message released today, and the last post was 13 minutes ago, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 18 of his 487 posts over the last 30 days classified as Legal posts.

Scharf brings a résumé built inside courtrooms and appellate chambers. He represented Trump in numerous cases, including at the Supreme Court, served as a Federal Prosecutor, worked in private practice, and clerked for two Federal Appeals Court Judges, according to truthsocial. He studied at Princeton University and Harvard Law School and has chaired the National Capital Planning Commission, the federal agency that reviews planning and design in the Washington region.

The White House Counsel advises the president on legal questions tied to official duties, screens executive actions, coordinates judicial nominations and manages responses to investigations and subpoenas. The office serves the presidency as an institution rather than the president personally. That distinction shapes how counsel weighs risk on contested orders.

Warrington‘s exit closes a tenure that began on the campaign and carried into the West Wing. His move to the private sector follows a familiar pattern for senior WHITE HOUSE lawyers, who often trade the counsel’s office for law-firm partnerships or corporate posts after intense stretches of government service.

The stakes reach beyond the two men involved. A counsel aligned closely with the president’s legal fights can accelerate an aggressive executive agenda. Critics warn that a loyalist advocate may blur the line between defending the office and defending the officeholder, while supporters counter that Scharf‘s courtroom record equips him to steer contested policies through legal challenges.

Staff shakeups of this kind have happened before in this administration and in prior ones.White House Counsel ranks among the most turnover-prone senior jobs in modern presidencies, with several occupants cycling through during a single term as legal battles and political pressures mount.

The next milestone falls on September 1, when Scharf formally assumes the counsel role and Warrington steps aside. No confirmation vote is required for the position, so the transition proceeds on the timeline Trump set.

The White House Counsel's office has produced flashpoints long before this appointment, as happened before. John Dean, counsel to President Richard Nixon, testified against The White House during the Watergate hearings in 1973 and later pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, serving four months. Fred Fielding rebuilt the office for President Ronald Reagan after that scandal reshaped how presidents lean on their in-house lawyers. Each transition redefined how much a president could ask of the attorney sitting closest to the Oval Office.