Trump Selects Personal Attorney Will Scharf for White House Staff Secretary Job

(L-R) Attorney Will Scharf speaks as US former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump looks on during a press conference at Trump Tower in New York City on Sept. 6, 2024. Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP

President-elect Donald Trump has named one of his personal attorneys, William Owen Scharf, to be his White House staff secretary.

“Will is a highly skilled attorney who will be a crucial part of my White House team,” Trump said in a Nov. 16 statement posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.

White House staff secretary is a senior position directly appointed by the president, and it doesn’t require Senate confirmation. The staff secretary serves a low-profile but critical role in White House operations, including ensuring the circulation of documents among White House staff.

Rob Porter and Derek Lyons held the staff secretary position during Trump’s first term.

Trump credited Scharf with representing him in election disputes and “lawfare” waged against him, including a case earlier this year in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that presidents maintain immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts as president. The Supreme Court made the ruling over a case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, who prosecuted Trump for his efforts to challenge the 2020 election results and for his handling of classified documents following his first term in office.

“Will is going to make us proud as we Make America Great Again,” Trump said.

Before representing Trump, Scharf worked as a federal prosecutor. He also clerked for two federal appeals court judges.

Trump said Scharf also played a role in helping him select judges and Supreme Court justices during his first term.

Scharf ran for Missouri attorney general earlier this year but lost in the Republican primary to Andrew Bailey. Scharf ran as “Trump’s attorney” during the election.

Scharf is now part of a growing list of Trump’s personal attorneys joining the incoming administration. Trump has already named attorneys Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, and John Sauer as his picks for positions in the administration.

Trump has picked Blanche to be his deputy attorney general, Bove to serve as principal associate deputy attorney general as acting deputy attorney general until Blanche is confirmed, and Sauer to serve as solicitor general.