President Trump named Will Scharf as White House counsel, effective September 1, replacing David Warrington in the administration’s top legal advisory role. Trump announced the appointment on August 9, saying Scharf, who currently serves as White House staff secretary, will become “Assistant to the President and White House Counsel.”
Scharf, 40, is a Princeton graduate with a law degree from Harvard Law School who has worked on Trump’s legal team since joining his organization in 2023. Before his appointment as staff secretary in January 2025, he served as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, handling violent crimes cases.
As White House staff secretary since Trump’s second term began, Scharf has overseen the administrative flow of documents and briefings to the president in the Oval Office. The White House counsel advises the president and executive branch on legal matters and defends the office’s constitutional prerogatives, a role distinct from the Justice Department’s representation of the federal government.
Trump praised Scharf’s work in his current position, noting that he “helped president win approval for $400m ballroom,” referring to a major White House renovation project. Scharf has also been chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, the federal agency that oversees development in Washington, D.C.
Scharf’s appointment comes after an unsuccessful bid for Missouri attorney general in 2024, when he lost in the Republican primary. He has also worked in private practice and previously clerked for federal appeals court judges, building a record as a conservative legal operative aligned with Trump’s agenda.
Sources
- Washington Post — confirmed Trump’s appointment of Scharf as White House counsel effective September 1, replacing David Warrington
- Wall Street Journal — reported Scharf’s appointment and his background as Princeton and Harvard Law graduate
- Reuters — verified the announcement and Scharf’s current role as White House staff secretary
- The Guardian — noted Scharf helped secure approval for Trump’s $400 million ballroom project
- The Hill — confirmed Scharf’s education and previous work on Trump’s Supreme Court confirmations
- Wikipedia — documented Scharf’s service as federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri since June 2020
- Ballotpedia — verified Scharf’s unsuccessful 2024 run for Missouri attorney general
