In a significant shift within the administration, President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that his new White House counsel will be Will Scharf, currently serving as staff secretary. Scharf's appointment takes effect from September 1, replacing David Warrington who is stepping down to join the private sector. Previously, Scharf served as a federal prosecutor and represented Trump in various legal cases, including at the Supreme Court. Notably, Scharf played a crucial role in securing approval for the controversial $400 million ballroom project as the head of the National Capital Planning Commission. The appointment comes at a critical juncture, with midterm elections looming, where Trump's Republican Party is fighting to maintain control over Congress. If Democrats succeed in November, they have vowed to investigate Trump and his administration. As White House counsel, Scharf will be responsible for providing legal and policy advice related to the presidency, serving as the primary White House contact for the Justice Department, handling presidential pardons, managing judicial appointments, reviewing legislation, and navigating congressional investigations and lawsuits against the president. During Trump's first term, Scharf was instrumental in confirming judges and justices, including U.S. Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. In 2023, Scharf joined Trump's legal team during the election interference case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, and the case was later ruled in favor of presidents enjoying sweeping immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts. The new appointment adds Scharf to a growing list of Trump's lawyers who have been appointed to his second administration. Todd Blanche, another of Trump's lawyers, was recently confirmed as attorney general. As staff secretary, Scharf manages the papers that cross the president's desk and is often present when the president signs executive orders. In 2025, Trump named Scharf as chair of the National Capital Planning Commission, giving him jurisdiction over construction and major renovations to government buildings in the region. The ballroom project, which has already begun construction on the east side of the White House, recently faced a setback with a federal appeals court ruling that construction must halt because Congress had not approved it. Trump has vowed to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.