White House counsel faces autumn exit after Mueller probe cooperation

White House lawyer Don McGahn will leave his role in the autumn according to President Donald Trump, with the administration reportedly concerned by his level of cooperation with the Mueller investigation.

Trump tweeted that McGahn will leave his post after the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after reports that he sat through 30 hours of voluntary interviews with the Department of Justice regarding alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.

"I have worked with Don for a long time and truly appreciate his service!" The President’s tweet concluded.

Sources close to McGahn, who will be the second senior White House lawyer to exit this year, told the Washington Post that he had been planning to leave the role before the end of the year and was surprised by Trump’s tweet.

The lawyer proved essential in Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal courts system, but has frequently butted heads with the President over the Mueller investigation.

He also courted controversy over the firing of acting attorney general Sally Yates, who claimed she was dismissed after warning McGahn that then-national security adviser Mike Flynn had lied to Vice-President Mike Pence over his contacts with Russian officials, and for his handling of domestic abuse allegations against former White House staff secretary Rob Porter who resigned in February.

Republican congressional leader Mitch McConnell called the departure "sad news for our country" and said that McGahn’s significance to the judiciary, the White House and the nation could not be overstated.