WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on White House counsel Don McGahn (all times local):
10:30 p.m.
White House Counsel Don McGahn will be leaving in the fall.
President Donald Trump made the announcement Wednesday and praised McGahn as “a really good guy” who has done “an excellent job.”
McGahn has been a key figure in the administration’s handling of the Russia investigation.
Trump says McGahn’s departure has nothing to do with his interviews with the special counsel investigating possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia in the 2016 election. The president notes that he had approved the attorney’s interviews and was unconcerned about anything McGahn might tell prosecutors.
McGahn’s exit continues the churn of top officials as the administration sets records for turnover and the White House struggles to fill key vacancies.
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3:15 p.m.
President Donald Trump is praising White House counsel Don McGahn, who will be leaving his job this fall.
Trump tells reporters during a roundtable on drug-free community grants that McGahn is a “really good guy” and has been with him “a really long time.”
He adds that he has “a lot of affection for Don” and believes he’s done “an excellent job.”
Trump also says he approved of McGahn’s extensive interviews with special counsel Robert Mueller’s team, which have raised eyebrows.
Trump says he was not concerned about McGahn speaking with prosecutors, saying: “We do everything straight. We do everything by the book.”
Trump announced earlier Wednesday that McGahn will be leaving after the expected Senate confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
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10:45 a.m.
White House counsel Don McGahn, who has maintained a front row seat in Trump administration controversies and accomplishments, will be leaving in the fall after the expected Senate confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday.
The departure of Trump’s top lawyer in the West Wing will create a vacancy in an office that has been closely involved in the conflict over special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. McGahn’s exit also continues the churn of staffers as the administration sets records for turnover and the White House struggles to fill key vacancies.
Trump praised McGahn on Twitter, saying that he had “worked with Don for a long time and truly (appreciated) his service!”
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