Trump names attorney Will Scharf to key White House job

President-elect Trump on Saturday announced he was appointing Will Scharf, one of his personal attorneys, as White House staff secretary in his incoming administration.

Scharf represented Trump as one of his lawyers during a hearing on presidential immunity before the Supreme Court and was a regular on television defending Trump amid his hush money trial in Manhattan.

Staff secretary is a lower-profile position that carries significant importance within the White House. The staff secretary manages paper flow to the president and typically is in close proximity to the commander-in-chief. Rob Porter and Derek Lyons held the role during Trump’s first term.

“Will is a highly skilled attorney who will be a crucial part of my White House team,” Trump said in a statement. “He has played a key role in defeating the Election Interference and Lawfare waged against me, including by winning the Historic Immunity Decision in the Supreme Court.”

Scharf made an unsuccessful run for Missouri attorney general earlier this year, losing in a primary to incumbent Andrew Bailey. Trump endorsed both men in the primary.

Scharf is the latest Trump attorney to get rewarded with an administration job. Trump earlier this week announced Todd Blanche, Emil Bove and John Sauer, all of whom represented him in the past year, were being tapped for senior roles in the Justice Department.

A former federal prosecutor, Scharf has worked alongside Sauer at James Otis Law Firm, representing Trump in both his presidential immunity fight as well as an appeal of his gag order imposed in his federal election interference criminal case. 

Scharf declined to comment on his appointment.

He previously was employed at CRC Advisors, a public relations firm founded by conservative judicial activist Leonard Leo, who played a central role in moving the Supreme Court to the right and choosing Trump's nominees.

Scharf himself worked on the confirmations of Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, Trump's two most recent Supreme Court picks.

A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, Scharf also previously worked in the office of then-Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R) as policy director. 

Updated at 4:19 p.m. EST