President Trump’s advisers are urging the president not to replace White House counsel Don McGahn with Emmet Flood, who was brought onto the White House in May to assist with the federal Russia investigation and previously served in the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations.
The advisers argue that Flood is “eminently qualified to be White House counsel,” but claim he is a critical figure in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe and that hiring a new attorney to replace Flood would be “an unforced error that is not necessary,” sources told Fox News.
The advisers claim a new attorney would not be nearly as familiar with the case as Flood is, and would prompt the Russia probe to last for possibly another year. As a result, advisers have informed Trump that “it is vital that Flood finish what he is doing” and have characterized Flood as “a battlefield general you need on the front lines to win the fight.”
Trump announced late last month that McGahn would no longer serve in the White House.
“White House Counsel Don McGahn will be leaving his position in the fall, shortly after the confirmation (hopefully) of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court. I have worked with Don for a long time and truly appreciate his service,” Trump tweeted in August.
McGahn reportedly was hopeful Flood would take his place as White House counsel.
Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin.
