WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump has appointed attorney Stanley Woodward to join his White House legal team. Woodward, known for defending several of Trump’s top aides and associates, as well as individuals charged in the January 6, 2021 attack, will serve as an assistant to the president and a senior counselor.
According to a statement from Trump’s transition team, Woodward will work closely with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. This appointment comes after David Warrington was named as Trump’s top lawyer leading the White House legal team, following a change from the initial choice of William McGinley. McGinley has since moved to work with an outside group associated with billionaire Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Woodward, based in Washington, has a history of representing various individuals within Trump’s circle, including adviser Dan Scavino, trade adviser Peter Navarro, and aide Walt Nauta. He has also provided legal representation for defendants involved in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, such as Oath Keeper Kelly Meggs.
President Trump has also announced the return of three assistants from his previous White House term: Robert Gabriel, Nicholas Luna, and William “Beau” Harrison.
Trump’s inauguration is scheduled for January 20.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey and Nathan Layne; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
