CNN
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President-elect Donald Trump has replaced the top lawyer in the White House. This sudden move shows how quickly fortunes can change in Trump’s trajectory as a result of internal divisions.
President Trump announced on Wednesday that he would appoint campaign general counsel David Warrington as White House counsel, replacing him with Bill McGinley, who had been selected by Trump for the role.
The move was seen by some Trump associates as an attempt to remove McGinley, who did not have a close relationship with Trump, from a key role.
Sources told CNN at the time that McGinley’s appointment came after Trump aide Boris Epshteyn encouraged him to get the job done and get him over the finish line. . CNN recently reported that Epshteyn is the subject of an internal investigation over allegations that he sought to financially benefit from his influence on Trump and his associates, and he has a number of legal roles within the administration. was contributing to the.
Warrington, who served as general counsel for the Trump campaign, is a Washington, D.C.-based attorney who represented the former president in the House Select Committee’s investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. One person said he was a favorite of incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, and the decision to appoint McGinley was made while Wiles was attending a meeting in Las Vegas at Epshtein’s urging. It added that it was done. Mr. Warrington and Mr. Wiles had offices adjacent to each other in West Palm Beach.
Two sources close to President Trump rejected the idea that the controversy surrounding Epshteyn was the only reason McGinley was moved to DOGE. They say they expect DOGE to be a big part of the administration’s work, and that the organization will face many legal hurdles that will require the attention of seasoned attorneys like McGinley. claims.
“Dave has represented me both as my personal attorney and as general counsel for my presidential campaign. He is a well-respected attorney and leader of the Conservative Party,” Trump said. He made the announcement on his Truth Social platform, also announcing a change in McGinley’s role.
“The bill will play a critical role in freeing our economy from burdensome regulation, overspending, and government waste. He will work with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to reduce the bloated federal bureaucracy. We will provide advice and guidance to end this,” Trump posted.
He added, “Bill is a great addition to a great team focused on making life better for all Americans.” He will be at the forefront of my administration’s efforts to make our government more efficient and more accountable. Congratulations Dave and Bill! ”
CNN’s Caitlan Collins contributed to this report.
