AG Barr Criticizes Trump’s Tweets About DOJ: They ‘Make It Impossible to Do My Job’
In a rare rebuke of his boss’s social media habits, Attorney General William Barr said that President Donald Trump’s tweets “make it impossible” to do his job. In an interview with ABC News on Thursday, Barr said that…
In a rare rebuke of his boss’s social media habits, Attorney General William Barr said that President Donald Trump’s tweets “make it impossible” to do his job.
In an interview with ABC News on Thursday, Barr said that Trump had never asked him to intervene in a criminal case, but he added, “I think it’s time to stop the tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases.”
He said that Trump’s musings on Twitter have hindered his ability to operate as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and that they create a “constant background commentary that undercuts me.”
“Public statements and tweets made about the department, about our people in the department, our men and women here, about cases pending in the department, and about judges before whom we have cases, make it impossible for me to do my job, to assure the courts and the prosecutors and the department that we’re doing our work with integrity.”
Watch the interview below:
When asked if Barr if he was prepared for any potential blowback from Trump, who is not afraid to lash out at those who criticize him, the attorney general said, “Of course.”
He continued to say that he would not be “bullied or influenced by anybody,” including members of Congress, the press, or the president into making certain decisions.
“I’m not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody … whether it’s Congress, newspaper editorial boards, or the president. I’m going to do what I think is right.”