White House Counsel Mcgahn leaving
President: Departure has nothing to do with probe
WASHINGTON — White House Counsel Don Mcgahn, a consequential insider in President Donald Trump’s legal storms and successes and a key figure in the administration’s handling of the Russia investigation, will be leaving in the fall, the president announced Wednesday.
Trump praised Mcgahn as “a really good guy” who has done “an excellent job.” He said Mcgahn’s departure had nothing to do with his interviews with the special counsel investigating possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia in the 2016 election.
Pressed by reporters, Trump said he had approved the attorney’s interviews and was unconcerned about anything Mcgahn might tell prosecutors.
“We do everything straight,” he said. “We do everything by the book.”
The departure of Trump’s top lawyer, which has been expected, will create a vacancy in one of the most critical — and yet least visible — positions within the West Wing. Besides dealing with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, Mcgahn has had important input on a range of issues from policy to personnel to national security.
He will remain at the White House until after the expected Senate confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Trump said in a tweet.
Mcgahn has been telling associates for months that he was looking to leave the White House and had discussed the timing.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell hailed McGahn as the “most impressive White House Counsel during my time in Washington.” He called the departure “sad news for our country.”
Emmet Flood, who joined Trump’s White House in May as in-house counsel for the Mueller probe, has been considered a leading candidate to replace Mcgahn and has the departing attorney’s support, two administration officials said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.