# Trump names Will Scharf White House counsel ahead of midterms 2026-08-09T23:44:47+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet US President Donald Trump has named Will Scharf as White House counsel from September 1, replacing David Warrington. Scharf currently serves as staff secretary and chaired the National Capital Planning Commission, where he helped secure approval for Trump's $400 million ballroom project. He previously worked as a federal prosecutor and represented Trump at the Supreme Court. The appointment comes months before the midterm elections, with Democrats vowing investigations if they win Congress. On Friday, a federal appeals court halted the ballroom construction, ruling Congress had not approved it. Trump plans to appeal to the Supreme Court. The White House counsel handles legal advice, pardons, judicial appointments, and congressional inquiries. ## Coverage - indiatoday.in - thehindu.com Tags: ballroom project, Donald Trump, legal challenges, midterm elections, White House counsel, Will Scharf Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/trump-names-will-scharf-white-house-counsel-amid-legal-pressure/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/trump-names-will-scharf-white-house-counsel-amid-legal-pressure/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.