Tipsheet

DOJ Quashes Rumors About Barr Resigning

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  February 19, 2020 7:15 AM

The Department of Justice addressed rumors Tuesday night that U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr planned to step down over President Trump’s tweeting.

"Addressing Beltway rumors: The Attorney General has no plans to resign," DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec tweeted.

Last week, Barr told ABC News that the president’s social media use and public comments about DOJ cases make his job "impossible."

"To have 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," he explained. 

Barr said he wouldn't be "bullied or influenced by anybody ... whether it's Congress, a newspaper editorial board, or the president.”

"I cannot do my job here at the department with a constant background commentary that undercuts me," he added.

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At the same time, however, he acknowledged that President Trump never asked him for anything about the Roger Stone case, or any other criminal case for that matter. 

"The President has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case," he said.

Trump offered nothing but praise for Barr on Tuesday and admitted he had a point in his comments to ABC News. 

"I do make his job harder. I do agree with that. I think that's true," Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, as he was preparing to fly to California. "He's a very straight shooter. We have a great attorney general and he's working very hard."