Panic behind the scenes at the White House: Trump's people rush to lawyers

Senior officials in the Trump administration are hiring lawyers out of fear that a wave of Democratic investigations will paralyze the White House after the midterm elections. Concerns include investigations into pardons, wedding financing, and family business.

Senior and junior officials in the Trump administration, from cabinet members to mid-level staff, have begun hiring law firms in anticipation of the Democratic Party taking control of one or both houses of Congress in the midterm elections. The turn to legal counsel stems from fears of a wave of investigations that could paralyze the remaining two years of President Donald Trump's term. According to reports, Democrats are expected to investigate suspicions of pardons for payment, the renovation of the Kennedy Center, and the financing of Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding, allegedly funded by a Russian oligarch. Cabinet members and agency heads are seeking personal representation and turning to conservative top-tier firms. Due to conflict of interest rules, one law firm cannot represent multiple senior officials, leading to a race to secure legal representation. The White House is preparing for battle, with senior officials from the communications office and the legal counsel's office meeting to discuss strategies. White House spokesperson Lauren Bise dismissed the concerns, calling them a "false narrative." Democratic members of Congress have begun sending letters to administration officials, including the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.