Attorney General William P. Barr does not intend to resign from his position, despite reports that he considered quitting because of President Trump’s tweets about the Justice Department, a department spokesperson said late Tuesday.
“The Attorney General has no plans to resign,” Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said in a tweet, calling reports that he planned to step down “Beltway rumors.”
Addressing Beltway rumors: The Attorney General has no plans to resign.
— KerriKupecDOJ (@KerriKupecDOJ) February 19, 2020
On Tuesday night, The Associated Press reported Mr. Barr was weighing leaving his position after the president did not heed his request to stop tweeting about the Justice Department.
An administration official told the news outlet that the attorney general has discussed his possible resignation with people inside and outside the White House.
Last week, Mr. Barr said in a television interview that the president’s tweets make it “impossible” for him to do his job.
“I think it’s time to stop tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases,” Mr. Barr said in an interview with ABC News.
Despite Mr. Barr’s rebuke, the president has not backed down criticizing the Justice Department and its handling of the Roger Stone case.
On Tuesday, Mr. Trump said Stone, a longtime ally, deserved a new trial.
“Everything having to do with this fraudulent investigation is badly tainted and, in my opinion, should be thrown out,” wrote Trump. “The whole deal was a total SCAM.”
Stone is set to be sentenced Thursday on charges of lying to Congress, making false statements and witness tampering. He is seeking a new trial.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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