Donald Trump is likely to pick a fast-rising loyalist to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, a legal expert said on Wednesday.
The 80-year-old president recently promoted Will Scharf, who works as White House staff secretary, to take on the role of White House counsel.
This makes Scharf the latest in a series of Trump’s personal attorneys to get a major job in his second term.Josh Orton, who leads the group Demand Justice, suggested on “CNN This Morning” that Scharf’s rise might not stop there.
Orton said, “I’m predicting that the next time there’s a Supreme Court vacancy, and we track this at Demand Justice, that he’s going to nominate Will Scharf to be the next Supreme Court justice.”
Scharf has worked as a federal prosecutor and has clerked for two federal judges.
He was part of Trump’s criminal defense team from 2023 to 2025 and helped with Trump’s case about presidential immunity before the Supreme Court in 2024.If Democrats win control of Congress in November, Scharf would be the main person handling subpoenas and other legal fights.
Orton said, “He doesn’t want someone who’s well-credentialed.
He doesn’t want someone smart.He wants someone that is loyal to him, and Will Scharf is loyal to him.”
Host Audie Cornish, who worked with former Vice President Kamala Harris, asked Orton what qualifications Trump might use if he nominated Scharf.
Orton smiled and replied, “Do you think that is a question the president is asking?”
The panel laughed as Orton added that Scharf ran for Missouri Attorney General and lost in the primary.
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