There had been a growing chasm between Attorney General Barr and President Trump following the November election
Credit: Reuters
Donald Trump said on Monday that Attorney General Bill Barr, who contradicted his claims that the November 3 election was marred by fraud, would be leaving office.
Mr Barr, who is due to step down on December 23, had remained steadfast in his support of the president heading into Election Day but reports had surfaced in recent weeks of a growing chasm between the pair.
Mr Trump made the announcement on Twitter, saying: "Just had a very nice meeting with Attorney General Bill Barr at the White House. Our relationship has been a very good one… Bill will be leaving just before Christmas to spend the holidays with his family."
In a resignation letter leaked to the press, Mr Barr praised what he called Mr Trump’s historic record, saying he had helped boost the economy, strengthen the military and curb illegal immigration.
It came shortly after Mr Barr had briefed the president about the Justice Department’s review into the Mr Trump campaign’s allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 election. In it, Mr Barr pledged the allegations "would continue to be pursued."
President Trump poses for a now-controversial photo opportunity alongside Bill Barr in front of St John's Church in Washington
Credit: Reuters
Mr Barr, once a loyalist who helped further Mr Trump’s law and order message, did not publicly come out in support of the president when he questioned the legitimacy of the November vote.
Mr Barr wrote in his letter: “At a time when the country is so deeply divided, it is incumbent on all levels of government, and all agencies acting within their purview, to do all we can to assure the integrity of elections and promote public confidence in their outcome.”
The comment appeared to be a coded reference to Mr Barr and Mr Trump’s public differences when it comes to the scale of voter fraud in the November election, which Mr Trump lost to Joe Biden, the Democratic candidate.
Mr Barr infuriated the US president when he publicly said that his department had not uncovered election fraud that would have changed the result, undercutting Mr Trump’s baseless claims that a victory was “stolen” from him.
The courts have repeatedly struck down lawsuits by Mr Trump’s campaign and his allies attempting to throw out votes they argued were fraudulent and raise questions about the propriety of the vote-counting process.
Unnamed sources later told US media that Mr Barr was not happy with the president and that the former attorney general "is not someone who takes bullying and turns the other cheek!"
Days later it was reported that Mr Barr kept quiet a Justice Department investigation into Mr Biden’s son, Hunter’s taxes, which appeared to further displease Mr Trump.
"A big disappointment!," Mr Trump tweeted about the news over the weekend. “Why didn’t Bill Barr reveal the truth to the public, before the Election, about Hunter Biden. Joe was lying on the debate stage that nothing was wrong, or going on — Press confirmed. Big disadvantage for Republicans at the polls!”
Justice Department guidelines advise investigators against taking overt actions in a run-up to an election so as not to be seen as affecting the outcome.
Mr Trump announced Jeff Rosen would become Acting Attorney General.
His tweet about Mr Barr’s exit was an unusually heartfelt response from a president who is notoriously cold to his departing staff.
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