Legal adviser to the President and executive branch agencies
The DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel has issued an opinion stating the president can exert executive privilege over communications with private advisers, including outside individuals. The memo argues confidentiality is essential for rapid decisionmaking, with potential implications for subpoenas and investigations if Democrats regain Congress.
Karoline Leavitt has announced she will leave her role as White House press secretary at the end of August to spend more time with her two young children. President Donald Trump has said she will remain a top outside adviser; the White House has not named a successor and senior officials are expected to brief reporters temporarily.
The Justice Department has issued an Office of Legal Counsel opinion holding that the federal law restricting handgun sales to 18- to 20-year-olds violates the Second Amendment. The administration is not defending or prosecuting cases under the measure, and governance remains split as courts weigh the issue in the wake of a 2022 Supreme Court decision.