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Trump names personal lawyer Willkie Sharp as new White House Counsel
๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea /Elections & Politics

Trump names personal lawyer Willkie Sharp as new White House Counsel

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • President Donald Trump has appointed his personal lawyer, Willkie Sharp, as the new White House Counsel.
  • Sharp previously defended Trump in cases related to the 2020 election challenges and the January 6th Capitol riot.
  • The appointment comes as Trump continues to surround himself with legal advisors who have personal ties to him.

President Donald Trump has named Willkie Sharp, a lawyer who has represented him in several high-profile legal battles, as his new White House Counsel. The appointment, effective September 1st, places Sharp in a key legal advisory role within the administration.

Trump announced the decision on his social media platform, Truth Social, highlighting Sharp's experience defending him against what Trump described as a "corrupt and illegal weaponization campaign" by the Biden administration. This defense included crucial cases before the Supreme Court.

Willkie Sharp will be taking over as Special Assistant to the President and White House Counsel starting September 1.

โ€” Donald TrumpTrump's announcement of Willkie Sharp's appointment on Truth Social.

Sharp's previous work for Trump involved representing him in matters concerning the 2020 election challenges and the January 6th Capitol riot, both of which are subjects of investigations led by Special Counsel Jack Smith. Additionally, Sharp served as an assistant in the White House and chaired the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), an agency that oversees federal construction projects in Washington D.C.

He has defended me in numerous cases, including before the Supreme Court, in the process of fighting against the corrupt and illegal weaponization campaign conducted by the Biden administration.

โ€” Donald TrumpTrump highlights Sharp's role in defending him against legal challenges.

Notably, the NCPC had approved the construction of a White House ballroom, a project that has since been halted by a court ruling. The Washington D.C. Federal Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's decision to pause construction until Congress explicitly approves it, citing legal issues.

This appointment aligns with a broader trend observed by outlets like The Wall Street Journal, suggesting Trump prioritizes appointing lawyers with whom he has personal relationships to significant legal positions. This strategy includes recent appointments like Todd Blanche as acting Attorney General, further consolidating his legal team with trusted, personally-connected individuals.

He has done an amazing job as an assistant in the White House and has also served as chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). He will do a great job as legal counsel.

โ€” Donald TrumpTrump praises Sharp's performance in previous roles.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.