# White House Counsel

The White House counsel is a senior staff appointee of the president of the United States whose role is to advise the president on all legal issues concerning the president and their administration. The White House counsel also oversees the Office of White House Counsel, a team of lawyers and support staff who provide legal guidance for the president and the White House Office. At least when White House counsel is advising the president on legal matters pertaining to the duties or prerogatives of the president, this office is also called Counsel to the President.
David Warrington is the current White House counsel, serving since January 20, 2025.

## Responsibilities

The Office of Counsel to the President and Vice President was created in 1943, and is responsible for advising on all legal aspects of policy questions; legal issues arising in connection with the president's decision to sign or veto legislation, ethical questions, financial disclosures; and conflicts of interest during employment and post employment. The counsel's office also helps define the line between official and political activities, oversees executive appointments and judicial selection, handles presidential pardons, reviews legislation and presidential statements, and handles lawsuits against the president in his role as president, as well as serving as the White House contact for the Department of Justice.

## Limitations

Although the White House counsel offers legal advice to the president and vice president, the counsel does so in the president's and vice president's official capacity, and does not serve as the president's personal attorney. Therefore, controversy has emerged over the scope of the attorney–client privilege between the counsel and the president and vice president, namely with John Dean of Watergate notoriety. It is clear, however, that the privilege does not apply in strictly personal matters. It also does not apply to legislative proceedings by the U.S. Congress against the president due to allegations of misconduct while in office, such as formal censures or impeachment proceedings. In those situations the president relies on a personal attorney if he desires confidential legal advice. The office is also distinct from the judiciary, and from others who are not appointed to positions but nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. These would be foremost the attorney general of the United States, and the principal deputy and other assistants, who are nominated by the president to oversee the United States Department of Justice, or the solicitor general of the United States and staff (the solicitor general is the fourth-ranking official in the Justice Department), who argue cases before the U.S. Supreme Court (and in lower federal courts) for the Justice Department when it is a party to the case.

## List of White House counsels

| Name | Start | End | President |
| Samuel Rosenman | October 2, 1943 | February 1, 1946 | Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945) |
| Samuel Rosenman | October 2, 1943 | February 1, 1946 | Harry S. Truman (1945–1953) |
| Clark Clifford | February 1, 1946 | January 31, 1950 | Harry S. Truman (1945–1953) |
| Charles Murphy | January 31, 1950 | January 20, 1953 | Harry S. Truman (1945–1953) |
| Tom Stephens | January 20, 1953 On leave | April 14, 1953 | Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961) |
| Bernard Shanley | January 20, 1953 Acting: January 20, 1953 – April 14, 1953 | February 19, 1955 | Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961) |
| Gerald Morgan | February 19, 1955 | November 5, 1958 | Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961) |
| David Kendall | November 5, 1958 | January 20, 1961 | Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961) |
| Ted Sorensen | January 20, 1961 | February 29, 1964 | John F. Kennedy (1961–1963) |
| Ted Sorensen | January 20, 1961 | February 29, 1964 | Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969) |
| Mike Feldman | April 1964 | January 17, 1965 | Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969) |
| Lee White | January 17, 1965 | February 11, 1966 | Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969) |
| Milton Semer | February 14, 1966 | December 31, 1966 | Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969) |
| Harry McPherson | February 11, 1966 | October 26, 1967 | Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969) |
| Larry Temple | October 26, 1967 | January 20, 1969 | Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969) |
| John Ehrlichman | January 20, 1969 | November 4, 1969 | Richard Nixon (1969–1974) |
| Chuck Colson | November 6, 1969 | July 9, 1970 | Richard Nixon (1969–1974) |
| John Dean | July 9, 1970 | April 30, 1973 | Richard Nixon (1969–1974) |
| Len Garment | April 30, 1973 | August 9, 1974 | Richard Nixon (1969–1974) |
| Philip Buchen | August 9, 1974 | January 20, 1977 | Gerald Ford (1974–1977) |
| Robert Lipshutz | January 20, 1977 | October 1, 1979 | Jimmy Carter (1977–1981) |
| Lloyd Cutler | October 1, 1979 | January 20, 1981 | Jimmy Carter (1977–1981) |
| Fred Fielding | January 20, 1981 | May 23, 1986 | Ronald Reagan (1981–1989) |
| Peter Wallison | May 23, 1986 | March 20, 1987 | Ronald Reagan (1981–1989) |
| Arthur Culvahouse | March 20, 1987 | January 20, 1989 | Ronald Reagan (1981–1989) |
| Boyden Gray | January 20, 1989 | January 20, 1993 | George H. W. Bush (1989–1993) |
| Bernard Nussbaum | January 20, 1993 | March 8, 1994 | Bill Clinton (1993–2001) |
| Lloyd Cutler | March 8, 1994 | October 1, 1994 | Bill Clinton (1993–2001) |
| Abner Mikva | October 1, 1994 | November 1, 1995 | Bill Clinton (1993–2001) |
| Jack Quinn | November 1, 1995 | February 1997 | Bill Clinton (1993–2001) |
| Chuck Ruff | February 1997 | August 6, 1999 | Bill Clinton (1993–2001) |
| Cheryl Mills Acting | August 6, 1999 | September 1999 | Bill Clinton (1993–2001) |
| Beth Nolan | September 1999 | January 20, 2001 | Bill Clinton (1993–2001) |
| Alberto Gonzales | January 20, 2001 | February 3, 2005 | George W. Bush (2001–2009) |
| Harriet Miers | February 3, 2005 | January 31, 2007 | George W. Bush (2001–2009) |
| Fred Fielding | January 31, 2007 | January 20, 2009 | George W. Bush (2001–2009) |
| Greg Craig | January 20, 2009 | January 3, 2010 | Barack Obama (2009-2017) |
| Bob Bauer | January 3, 2010 | June 30, 2011 | Barack Obama (2009-2017) |
| Kathy Ruemmler | June 30, 2011 | June 2, 2014 | Barack Obama (2009-2017) |
| Neil Eggleston | June 2, 2014 | January 20, 2017 | Barack Obama (2009-2017) |
| Don McGahn | January 20, 2017 | October 17, 2018 | Donald Trump (2017–2021) |
| Emmet Flood Acting | October 18, 2018 | December 10, 2018 | Donald Trump (2017–2021) |
| Pat Cipollone | December 10, 2018 | January 20, 2021 | Donald Trump (2017–2021) |
| Dana Remus | January 20, 2021 | July 1, 2022 | Joe Biden (2021–2025) |
| Stuart Delery | July 1, 2022 | September 11, 2023 | Joe Biden (2021–2025) |
| Ed Siskel | September 11, 2023 | January 20, 2025 | Joe Biden (2021–2025) |
| David Warrington | January 20, 2025 | Incumbent | Donald Trump (2025–present) |