Trey Gowdy will not join Trump's legal team
Former Republican Congressman Trey Gowdy will not be joining President Trump's legal team, CBS News has confirmed, after months of speculation. Mr. Trump reportedly eyed Gowdy as an addition late last year, in anticipation of the upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate.
"The president has good lawyers and more importantly good facts. He does not need another lawyer added to his team. He needs the trial to begin and end," Gowdy told CBS News.
Gowdy left Congress in January 2019, saying that he was tired of Washington and wanted to return to private practice. It therefore surprised some Washington insiders when Mr. Trump considered adding Gowdy to his team in the fall. In October, Jay Sekulow, one of the president's personal attorneys, said Gowdy would be a "great asset."
Gowdy, who became a contributor for Fox News shortly after leaving Congress, had his contract lapse in October, leading some to speculate that he might be close to accepting a job on the president's legal team.
Gowdy also left the door open in an October interview with "Face the Nation," saying he did not know who he would be representing come January.
"I don't represent the president as of today. I don't know what if anything will exist in January. It may be over. My sense is the president needs folks that can that can represent him now before the House, the Senate and indirectly through television shows and print media," Gowdy said at the time.
However, Gowdy returned to his position as a Fox News commentator in December. If he does continue to defend Mr. Trump, it appears that he'll do so through his contributions on Fox News, and not as a member of Mr. Trump's legal team.
Kristin Brown contributed to this report.