The White House counsel’s job is to advise on legal and policy questions related to the presidency. They included U.S. Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh — who himself served as White House staff secretary for President George W. Bush — and Amy Coney Barrett. White House staff secretary Will Scharf speaks during an event with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)As White House staff secretary, Scharf was responsible for managing the papers that cross the president’s desk. The project is already well on its way and has begun to rise above ground on the east side of the White House.