Mr. McGahn had taken to telling people that a day without a summons to the Oval Office was a good day, and he preferred to spend as much time as possible in his upstairs corner office in the West Wing next to the presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway — like him a New Jersey native — which they called the “New Jersey corner.” 
 
 Within the White House, Mr. McGahn was seen as the protector of presidential institutions and someone not afraid to fight the president, and had several epic screaming matches to show for it. 
 
 Mr. Trump often griped that he wanted to get rid of Mr. McGahn, but the president never seemed willing to follow through on it. The president asked Rob Porter, then the staff secretary, several times last year if he would be willing to take over for Mr. McGahn, an idea supported by several of his aides and his children. But Mr. Porter told the president that he did not believe he was qualified for the role, felt it was the wrong fit for him and preferred focusing on policy, those briefed on the discussions said. He has since left the White House amid accusations of spousal abuse. 
 
 Mr. Trump often blamed Mr. McGahn for the cloud the special counsel’s investigation had cast over the White House. 
 
 He said Mr. McGahn should have done more to stop Mr. Sessions from recusing himself from the investigation, the decision Mr. Trump believes cleared the way for Mr. Mueller’s appointment in May 2017. But there was one major decision Mr. McGahn did try to stop, and failed: firing the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey. 
 
 Mr. McGahn, who was the top lawyer for the Trump campaign, forged a strong bond with Republican congressional leaders, who regarded him as a rare island of political sense in a sea of White House officials whom they viewed as overly dramatic and politically inept. He had remained in the job, according to people who have spoken with him, in part at the urging of Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, as well as to help execute a strategy he spearheaded to appoint conservative judges. 
 
 Mr. McGahn had tried to lay the groundwork for his resignation by persuading Mr. Trump to hire Emmet T. Flood — who was part of the legal team that represented President Bill Clinton in his impeachment proceedings — as his lead White House lawyer dealing with the special counsel inquiry, to position Mr. Flood to then succeed him, according to people close to the discussions. 

 White House Counsel Don McGahn will be leaving his position in the fall, shortly after the confirmation (hopefully) of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court. I have worked with Don for a long time and truly appreciate his service! 

 We're told that Trump has not formalized a successor. 
 
 Trump has not formalized a successor. But McGahn has told a confidant he would like his successor to be Emmet Flood, a Clinton administration alumnus who joined the White House in May to deal with the Russia probe. 
 
 has told a confidant he would like his successor to be Emmet Flood, a Clinton administration alumnus who joined the White House in May to deal with the Russia probe. Flood also served for two years during George W. Bush’s second term as his top lawyer handling congressional investigators. 
 
 A source familiar with Flood's thinking said: “The reason he can represent both Bill Clinton and Donald Trump is because he thinks these investigators come and basically put a target on their backs, trying to overturn every aspect of their lives searching for a crime." 
 
 "He feels that is a judicial and constitutional hazard." 
 
 Three senior administration officials tell us they hope Flood is the pick: 
 
 He’s trusted and respected inside the White House. 
 
 and respected inside the White House. Most importantly, sources familiar with their interactions say Flood has — as well as any lawyer can — figured out how to talk to Trump. 
 
 sources familiar with their interactions say Flood has — as well as any lawyer can — figured out how to talk to Trump. The president focuses his attention when Flood talks to him: Trump reacts to the authority Flood carries as a heavyweight lawyer handling the topic that potentially poses an existential threat to the Trump presidency. 
 
 The timing for a McGahn departure is right for both sides, the officials say: 
 
 McGahn , whom some Trump allies fear coughed up too much information during his extensive cooperation with Mueller’s team, would leave on a high note, after the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch, and the expected confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. 
 
 , whom some Trump allies fear coughed up too much information during his extensive cooperation with Mueller’s team, would leave on a high note, after the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch, and the expected confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. McGahn ran point on Trump's record run of conservative judicial selections, which has endeared Trump not only to his base but also to Republicans skeptical of his presidency. 
 
 on Trump's record run of conservative judicial selections, which has endeared Trump not only to his base but also to Republicans skeptical of his presidency. In Flood, Trump would get a White House counsel with impeachment chops from the Clinton years, and little internal baggage. 
 
 Trump would get a White House counsel with impeachment chops from the Clinton years, and little internal baggage. McGahn has told a confidant that he doesn't expect to leave Trumpworld entirely after he leaves the White House. He privately said he expects to continue to be of assistance to the president through the re-election campaign. 
 
 Be smart: McGahn has had, at times, a strained relationship with the president. 
 
 A defender of McGahn's, who has been an uncomfortable bystander while the president has torn shreds off of McGahn, told Axios that McGahn did the best he could under very trying circumstances, and often had to bat back unreasonable and legally problematic requests. 
 
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– The latest White House departure: White House counsel Donald McGahn will be leaving in the fall, President Trump confirmed on Twitter Wednesday morning. "I have worked with Don for a long time and truly appreciate his service!" wrote Trump, who noted that McGahn's departure would come "shortly after the confirmation (hopefully) of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court." But as the New York Times notes, the relationship between Trump and McGahn has been "rocky" for a while. Trump, last year, reportedly asked McGahn to persuade attorney general Jeff Sessions not to recuse himself from the investigation into Russian interference with the 2016 presidential election and McGahn failed to do so; Trump also last year reportedly asked McGahn to fire special counsel Robert Mueller and McGahn reportedly threatened to resign rather than do so. McGahn has since spoken to Mueller, voluntarily, for at least 30 hours, reportedly talking about Trump's directive to fire Mueller as well as Trump's firing of James Comey; the Times calls the lawyer "a key witness to whether the president tried to obstruct" Mueller's Russia investigation. Axios had the first whiff of McGahn's departure, with a source saying the lawyer "did the best he could under very trying circumstances, and often had to bat back unreasonable and legally problematic requests." Though some Trump allies think McGahn gave Mueller too much information, Axios notes McGahn also "ran point" when it came to getting conservative judges appointed to the federal bench; if Kavanaugh is indeed confirmed, McGahn will leave on a "high note." McGahn has reportedly said he wants Clinton administration alumnus Emmet Flood to succeed him.