AG Barr: Trump Tweets ‘Make It Impossible to Do My Job’

In an exclusive ABC News interview on Thursday, Attorney General William Barr said that President Donald Trump’s tweeting about his department was making it “impossible for me to do my job.”

Barr was addressing the Justice Department’s reversal on Roger Stone’s sentence following a tweet posted by President Donald Trump.

While discussing his plan to amend the prosecutors’ sentencing recommendations, Barr said, “Once the tweet occurred, the question is well now what do I do? Do you go forward with what you think is the right decision, or do you pull back because of the tweet? And that just illustrated how disruptive the tweets can be.”

ABC News chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas asked, “So you are saying you have a problem with the Tweets.”

Barr said, “Well, I have a problem with some of the tweets. I’m happy to say, in fact, the president has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case. However to have publics statement and tweets made about the department, about 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 and to assure the courts and the prosecutors in the department that we’re doing our work with integrity.”

Thomas asked, “Mr. Barr, the president does not like to be told what to do. He may not like what you’re saying. Are you prepared for those ramifications?”

Barr said, “Of course. As I said during my confirmation, I came in to serve as attorney general. I am responsible for everything that happens in the department, but the thing I have most responsibilities for are the issues that are brought to me for decision. And I will make those decisions based on what I think is the right thing to do. I’m not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody, and I said whether it’s Congress, newspaper editorial boards or the president. I’m going to do what I think is right. And you know I think the —I cannot do my job at the department with a constant background commentary that undercuts me. ”

He added, “I have not discussed to Roger Stone case at the White House.”

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