Politico | William Barr breaks with Donald Trump: his tweets ‘make it impossible for me to do my job’
- Attorney general criticises president’s frequent social media comments on goings-on at Justice Department, and says he will not be bullied or influenced
- Barr’s declaration of independence comes as he and Trump face blowback over the handling of Roger Stone case
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Caitlin Oprysko on politico.com on February 13, 2020.
US Attorney General William Barr on Thursday sharply criticised President Donald Trump’s prolific Twitter habit, saying that the president’s affinity for opining about the goings-on at the Justice Department “make it impossible for me to do my job”.
Barr told ABC News’ Pierre Thomas that he would not bow to political pressure in his leadership of the department.
It is not clear whether Barr gave the White House a heads-up about the interview. But his declaration of independence comes as the attorney general and the president face fierce blowback over the handling of a court case featuring Trump’s long-time political adviser Roger Stone.
Trump lashed out at career prosecutors this week after they recommended up to nine years in prison for Stone, who was found guilty of lying to Congress and witness intimidation, prompting the Justice Department to walk back its recommendation and causing four prosecutors to resign from the case in protest.
But Barr rejected accusations of undue political influence at the department.
“As I said during my confirmation, I came in to serve as attorney general,” Barr told Thomas.
“I am responsible for everything that happens in the department but the thing I have most responsibility for are the issues that are brought to me for decisions.”
“I will make those decisions based on what I think is the right thing to do, and I’m not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody – whether it’s Congress, newspaper editorial boards, or the president,” he continued. “I’m going to do what I think is right.”
Trump destroys own Twitter record by tweeting every 88 seconds
Barr swatted back at Trump, whose tweets “about the department, about people in the department, our men and women here, about cases pending in the department, about judges before whom we have cases” he claimed “make it impossible for me to do my job and to ensure the courts and the prosecutors and department that we’re doing our work with integrity”.
There exists, he complained, a “constant background commentary” that impedes his ability to do his job and “that undercuts me.”
