Trump Names Will Scharf for White House Counsel Role

Scharf has often been visible at the president’s side, sometimes seen handing Trump binders and documents to sign while explaining what each item was for. That role has made him a familiar figure in the West Wing, even before the new appointment was announced. His move now places him in a more formal legal and advisory position at the center of the administration’s daily work.

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles congratulated Scharf in a post on X, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted it. Wiles also thanked Warrington for his work as White House counsel, Trump-Vance campaign counsel, and the president’s attorney. She said the White House Counsel’s Office helped secure 24 Supreme Court victories and the confirmation of 54 judges, while telling Warrington she expected good things ahead for him in the private sector.

Outside the White House, conservative commentator Josh Hammer also praised Scharf, saying in a phone call that Trump had made a strong choice. Hammer said Scharf would be a major asset to the counsel’s office. He also said that he and Scharf had co-founded Jews Against Soros in 2023, though he said the effort did not develop further because of time constraints. Hammer said he and Scharf were frustrated by what he called claims that criticism of George Soros amounts to antisemitism, while arguing that Soros funds anti-Israel activity and antisemitism around the world.

The change puts Scharf into a post with outsized influence at a moment when legal battles, personnel shifts, and executive-branch strategy continue to shape the Trump White House. For Americans, the move matters because the White House counsel helps guide the administration’s legal footing and the decisions that flow from it.