Donald Trump and his inner circle are bracing for a potentially bruising wave of congressional probes if Democrats win control of the House or Senate in this fall’s elections.
Nearly every corner of the President’s orbit could face renewed examination, from the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial cryptocurrency venture and major Washington, DC, renovation projects to the planned White House ballroom, stock trading questions, immigration crackdowns, the new Air Force One program and the long-running fight over the release of the Epstein files.
People allied with Trump told Our News Outlet they fear the legal operation around him is “unprepared” for what they view as the next phase of “lawfare” targeting the President and his family.
“They have no idea what’s coming,” one source told Our News Outlet, warning that a “tsunami” of Democratic attorneys could descend on Washington, DC, with the aim of pursuing Trump.
Inside Trump’s orbit, many believe the White House’s ability to withstand the expected investigations will depend heavily on one key figure: incoming White House counsel Will Scharf.
Scharf is set to take over on September 1 from David Warrington, the President’s current top lawyer. Another senior legal official, White House associate counsel Samuel D. Adkisson, is also leaving after Trump nominated him to serve as a federal judge.
The transition leaves Scharf with little time to reshape the counsel’s office for what allies expect to be an aggressive oversight battle.
“They’re going to have to staff up and staff up fast,” a second Washington legal source told Our News Outlet.
President Trump has appointed White House staff secretary Will Scharf to take the lead at the counsel’s office
White House counsel David Warrington plans on leaving his job at the end of August
Washington legal sources praised Scharf as ‘loyal,’ ‘well-liked,’ and ‘influential’ in the White House, but remain skeptical that the office is prepared.
‘Scharf’s an upgrade from Warrington but I just don’t know if it’s enough,’ one source close to the White House told Our News Outlet.
Some of Trump’s more combative allies were critical of Scharf’s role in drafting legal memos discouraging the President from enacting the Insurrection Act and also expressing legal concerns about suspending habeas corpus for illegal immigrants.
Others were willing to give Scharf the benefit of the doubt on the memos, as one source argued, was more about his realistic assessment that the administration could successfully fight legal court challenges, not his personal opposition to the idea.
‘He’s always had a lot of influence in that world,’ a second source close to the White House told Our News Outlet.
Other sources expressed confidence in Scharf’s abilities, especially working in tandem with newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Both Scharf and Blanche worked together on the high-stakes case surrounding Trump’s presidential immunity that went to the Supreme Court.
Scharf’s affability and respect from his colleagues in the West Wing have earned Trump’s support. His legal efforts on behalf of the ballroom construction and other Washington, DC, renovations also earned the President’s respect.
Scharf has earned the President’s trust with his legal efforts on behalf of the ballroom and other Washington, DC, rennovations
Representative Jamie Raskin has previewed an onslaught of investigations directed at the Trump administration should Democrats take power
But the incoming fire directed at the president would be unprecedented, sources warned, in the very likely scenario of Democrats taking the House and perhaps the Senate.
‘Democrats are very angry and agitated and Republicans are kind of fat and happy and complacent,’ Mike Davis of the conservative legal group Article III Project told Our News Outlet. ‘It’s going to get ugly, I don’t think Republicans in Congress understand what’s coming.’
The White House has also suffered a number of high-profile staff departures this month, including White House legislative affairs director James Braid, Emily Underwood, the top deputy to deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, press secretary Karoline Leavitt and deputy national security advisor Andy Baker.
Meanwhile, Democrats have already previewed plans that Trump would face an onslaught of investigations and likely even impeachment hearings.
One source told Our News Outlet it would be a mistake for the President to rely on House and Senate Republicans in the Judiciary Committee to defend him, particularly if they lost their majority status.
With his polling numbers low and legally unable to run for reelection, Republicans would be less inclined to stick their necks out to support a president officially in ‘lame duck’ status.
One source compared the upcoming legal and political climate to that of the wake of the 2020 election, where Republicans were anxious to move past Trump as his enemies piled up lawsuits and charges against him.
The White House counsel office should start staffing up with lawyers familiar with Capitol Hill and Congressional investigations, sources familiar with the process explained.
Democrats want to bring in Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump and Zach Witkoff to testify on details surrounding World Liberty Financial
Democrats plan to investigate Trump’s deal with Qatar for their gift of a new Air Force One to the president
One Trump ally told Our News Outlet they wanted to see Trump’s first White House counsel pick, Bill McGinley, return to the office, citing both his aggressive expertise and low-profile demeanor.
President Trump initially named McGinley to the job in 2024, but he was pushed aside in favor of Warrington and sent to help shepherd Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
After just 30 days in the job, however, he stepped down and returned to the private sector.
McGinley did not return a request for comment.
The White House downplayed concerns about the strength of the counsel’s office with Scharf at the head.
‘There is no shortage of American patriots who want to serve their country and fight back against frivolous lawsuits and legal battles that seek to slow down President Trump from delivering on his promises to the American people,’ Lauren Bis, a White House spokeswoman told Our News Outlet.
Trump is also expected to lean on private legal assistance, particularly if he faces another impeachment effort by House Democrats.
Trump’s MAGA PAC now has a war chest of $400 million, and with very little spending so far in the campaign, there will likely be plenty of funds remaining to pay for his legal defense.
The PAC’s failure to open up its coffers for Republican candidates has triggered the alarm of candidates facing tough midterm elections, including in Texas and Iowa.
But one source indicated to Our News Outlet that more money would open up for candidates in early September, possibly after the high-profile midterm convention in Dallas on September 9 to 10.
