Trump is reportedly a big fan of the new White House counsel. Others aren't sure that's a great thing.
Everyone, meet "Mr. Attorney."
Pat Cipollone, the replacement for former White House Counsel Don McGahn, has been on the job for only six months, but he already has a big fan in President Trump, who reportedly dubbed him with the aforementioned moniker. Whereas McGahn never meshed with Trump on a personal or professional level, Cipollone, thanks in large part to his "affable" nature, has excellent chemistry with the president, Politico reports. That has some people, reportedly even Trump's allies, worried, however.
Cipollone reportedly spends a good chunk of time helping Trump find legal pathways to accomplish some of his more controversial goals, such as declaring a national emergency at the southern border or imposing tariffs on Mexico. But some anonymous White House officials are reportedly concerned that the White House counsel's job should not be focused on encouraging the president's actions, but rather to exercise caution and temper some of the more questionable ideas that emerge out of the Oval Office. Cipollone has on occasion done some tempering, Politico reports. For example, he advised Trump in March not to change the administration's stance on the Affordable Care Act and back a lawsuit seeking to overturn the entire law. But, in general, critics within the administration say he treats Trump too similarly to a normal client. Read more on Cipollone at Politico.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Why are home insurance prices going up?
Today's Big Question Climate-driven weather events are raising insurers' costs
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'All too often, we get caught up in tunnel vision'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
2024: the year of legacy media failures
In the Spotlight From election criticism to continued layoffs, the media has had it rough in 2024
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published