Trump wants like-minded veteran as new law chief
William Barr is nominated as Attorney General while former Fox News anchor becomes UN ambassador
DONALD TRUMP said yesterday that he will nominate William Barr to be his new Attorney General, a role that includes overseeing the investigation into Russian election meddling.
Mr Barr, 68, held the same position for two years under George HW Bush, the 41st US president, and has voiced views on the Russia probe and other key areas that chime with those of Mr Trump.
Mr Trump also announced Heather Nauert, a former Fox News presenter and current state department spokesman, will become the US ambassador to the United Nations.
The appointment, which was widely expected, has already come under fire because Ms Nauert has only two years of government experience.
There was also speculation last night that John Kelly, the White House chief of staff, could soon be on his way out, though there has been no announcement yet.
Mr Barr’s appointment will have a significant impact on the Russia probe being led by Robert Mueller, the special counsel appointed last May.
Mr Mueller is looking into whether Trump campaign figures conspired with Russia to tilt the 2016 election in his favour and whether the president obstructed justice since taking office.
Major moves proposed by Mr Mueller, such as bringing criminal indictments, will have to be approved by Mr Barr once he is in place.
What happens to Mr Mueller’s final report will also be up to the new Attorney General, assuming he does not recuse himself from overseeing the investigation like Jeff Sessions, his predecessor, who was fired last month.
Mr Trump said of Mr Barr: “He was my first choice from day one, respected by Republicans and by Democrats.”
Mr Barr’s appointment will need to be confirmed by the Senate, something made easier by his previous time in the role and the Republicans’ bigger majority since the midterm elections.
His previous public comments on a range of issues will now be carefully scrutinised. He has been critical of the fact that some lawyers hired to join Mr Mueller’s team had made financial contributions to Democrats in the past.
Mr Barr was also supportive of Mr Trump’s decision to fire James Comey as FBI director – a decision now being scrutinised by Mr Mueller.
Last night prosecutors said Mr Trump’s former personal lawyer should serve a “substantial” prison sentence despite cooperating with Mr Muller’s inquiry. They asked a judge to sentence Michael Cohen for paying an adult film star hush money on Mr Trump’s behalf, and for evading taxes.
In a separate recommendation on Friday Mr Mueller said Cohen should serve no extra jail time for a charge that he lied to Congress over the construction of a proposed Trump Organization skyscraper in Moscow.
Russia reached out to Cohen as far back as November 2015 offering “political synergy” with the Trump campaign, Mr Mueller said.
Last night, Mr Trump hit out at Rex Tillerson, his former secretary of state, calling him “dumb as a rock” and “lazy as hell” after he criticised the president in an interview. Mr Tillerson, who Mr Trump fired in March, claimed the president repeatedly wanted to violate the law, did not like reading and was “undisciplined”. In response, Mr Trump tweeted: “Rex Tillerson didn’t have the mental capacity needed. He was dumb as a rock and I couldn’t get rid of him fast enough. He was lazy as hell. Now it is a whole new ballgame, great spirit at State!”
Separately, Mr Kelly remains in post for now, but CNN reported that he is expected to resign soon and has barely talked to Mr Trump in recent days.
‘He was my first choice from day one, respected by Republicans and respected by Democrats’