President Donald Trump abruptly ejected a White House staffer from the Oval Office on August 25, 2025, after a phone noise interrupted his remarks during a signing ceremony. The incident occurred while Trump was responding to a reporter’s question about the government’s recent purchase of Intel stock.
Trump was mid-sentence explaining the stock market’s Friday gains when he paused due to the disruption. Trump stated, “Hello, who is that? Who is that back there? Alright, get out of the room!” The outburst was followed by laughter from cabinet members and the sound of the Oval Office door closing.
The staffer involved was identified as Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary and Trump’s executive order coordinator. Scharf is responsible for presenting the president with physical copies of executive orders during signing ceremonies and explaining the significance of each directive. Moments before the incident, Scharf had been standing next to Trump, handling documents for signing.
Multiple news outlets reported that the disruption was caused by noise from a staffer’s phone, though some sources suggested it may have been related to a door opening. The Daily Mail confirmed Scharf as the source of the interruption and noted his role as Trump’s “executive order guru.”
Scharf, who previously served as one of Trump’s personal attorneys, was an unsuccessful candidate for Missouri attorney general. He joined the current administration as a key figure in Trump’s executive order process, making his removal from the room particularly notable given his central role in the ceremony.
This incident follows a pattern of Trump showing impatience with interruptions, particularly when cameras are present. In June 2019, during his first term, Trump similarly expelled acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney from the Oval Office for coughing during a live ABC News interview with George Stephanopoulos.
During that 2019 interview, Trump expressed his displeasure with Mulvaney’s cough interrupting his response about a financial statement. The president indicated that if staffers were going to cough, they should leave the room, demonstrating a consistent intolerance for disruptions during media appearances.
The incident drew attention not only for Trump’s reaction but also for the immediate response from those present. Cabinet members’ laughter following the ejection highlighted the awkward nature of the moment, while the audible door slam punctuated the president’s displeasure with the disruption.
The signing ceremony continued after Scharf’s departure, though the interruption became a focal point of coverage from the event. The incident occurred during what was otherwise a routine executive order signing, transforming it into a moment that highlighted Trump’s management style and expectations for staff behavior during official functions.
