President-elect Donald Trump has been making his announcements as to who will serve in his second administration. On Tuesday evening, the Trump-Vance transition team sent out a statement about who will serve as Trump's White House Counsel, and it turns out to be a familiar name. William Joseph McGinley will now take on such a role, after he served as White House Cabinet Secretary for Trump's first term. Moments later, as Katie covered, the transition team also announced that John Ratcliffe will serve as the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), after previously serving as Trump's Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
As the statement on McGinley mentioned:
Bill is a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement. He served in my first term as White House Cabinet Secretary and played a major role in our election victory as the RNC’s Outside Counsel for Election Integrity. Bill has served as General Counsel at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has been a partner at two international law firms, and will work with me as we Make America Great Again!
McGinley's accomplishments have also been celebrated over X, including by The Article 3 Project's Mike Davis and FL Voice News' Eric Daugherty. The latter touched on McGinley's role with the election integrity efforts, which were certainly visible this cycle, especially in the final weeks leading up to Election Day.
Davis' name has been floated for a role with the Department of Justice (DOJ), though he's made clear he prefers to stay where he is.
Bill McGinley, a close friend and outside counsel to @Article3Project, is an excellent choice to serve as President Trump's White House Counsel.
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) November 12, 2024
Bill is tough, smart, and fair.
And he already knows his way around the White House and the Executive Branch.
He's ready on Day 1. pic.twitter.com/T8HBzKQw33
#BREAKING: President-elect Donald Trump selects William McGinley as White House Chief of Counsel
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 12, 2024
McGinley served as counsel for the RNC's Election Integrity efforts.
"Bill is a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda while fighting for… pic.twitter.com/B8miay05DI
Both of Trump's statements on McGinley and Ratcliffe have focused on the ways in which the men have assisted Trump in the past, with the statement on Ratcliffe beginning by referencing the Russia collusion hoax. Such a pick is not the only one to serve in the second Trump administration who has stood up against such a narrative from the Democrats following Trump's win in 2016.
It was reported on Monday night that Trump is "expected" to select Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as his Secretary of State, who also took issue with the Russia collusion hoax, especially with last year's Durham report.