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Donald F. McGahn II
Former White House Counsel
Trump White House Counsel 2017-2018
Overview
Donald F. McGahn II. Profile pending review.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Refused Trump order to fire Mueller
Refused to create false denial record
Provided 30+ hours testimony to Mueller
Facilitated conservative judicial appointments
Resisted congressional subpoena initially
Key witness in obstruction investigation
Witnessed multiple obstruction attempts
Related Investigations (4)
Criminal Charges & Violations
5 documented violations
18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)Potential Obstruction Witness; Central witness to Trump's obstruction attempts, documented in Mueller Report Volume II(Witness/Potential)
18 U.S.C. § 1505Initial Resistance to Congressional Subpoena; Initially refused to testify before House Judiciary Committee, claimed absolute immunity(Potential Obstruction)
28 U.S.C. § 455Judicial Ethics Questions; Rapid appointment of judges he helped select raises conflict concerns(Potential Ethics)
18 U.S.C. § 1001Potential False Statements Questions; Discrepancies between contemporaneous notes and later characterizations of events(Potential Federal)
5 C.F.R. § 2635Ethics Concerns; Transition from White House counsel to lucrative private practice representing parties before courts he helped staff(Ethics)
Known Associates & Connections
Donald Trump
Served as counsel, refused obstruction orders
Robert Mueller
Key cooperating witness
Sources & Documentation
2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Born
- Unknown
- Birthplace
- Atlantic City, New Jersey
Education
- •J.D., Widener University School of Law (1994)
- •B.A., University of Notre Dame
Key Timeline
2017
January: Becomes White House Counsel
2017
June: Trump orders him to fire Mueller, refuses
2018
January: Ordered to deny firing order, refuses
2018
Provides extensive Mueller testimony
2018
October: Resigns as White House Counsel
2021
Testifies before House Judiciary Committee