Bill Barr reportedly warned Trump swing voters think he's a 'f---ing a--hole' before election
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
The new book about former President Donald Trump's final days in office, Bob Woodward and Robert Costa's Peril, has already caused some big (if perhaps exaggerated) waves about Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley's actions to stop Trump from potentially starting a war to somehow stay in office. But there are "lesser revelations that may be catnip for political junkies," Politico reports, teasing a few "nuggets."
One of them involves former Attorney General William Barr and a "come to Jesus" meeting he had with Trump in April 2020. Barr, who would stay on for most of the rest of Trump's presidency, reportedly saw how the election could go and wanted to give Trump some frank political advice about the "charm offensive" he had to wage to win back the suburbs and "repair work" he had to do with Republicans and independents who liked his policies but not his personality. "They just think you're a f---ing a--hole," Barr reportedly told Trump.
Trump did not take that advice. He told Barr his base wanted him to "fight" for them, Woodward and Costa report. And after Trump lost and Barr told reporters there was no widespread election fraud, Trump reportedly told him, "You must have said that because you hate Trump, you must really hate Trump."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Politico also has tidbits on an unsuccessful push to get Trump to award former President Mike Pence the Presidential Medal of Freedom to patch things up after the Jan. 6 Capitol siege, how President Biden's friendship with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) unraveled, and more, and you can read them at Politico.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
6 exquisite homes with vast acreageFeature Featuring an off-the-grid contemporary home in New Mexico and lakefront farmhouse in Massachusetts
-
Film reviews: ‘Wuthering Heights,’ ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,’ and ‘Sirat’Feature An inconvenient love torments a would-be couple, a gonzo time traveler seeks to save humanity from AI, and a father’s desperate search goes deeply sideways
-
Political cartoons for February 16Cartoons Monday’s political cartoons include President's Day, a valentine from the Epstein files, and more
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
-
El Paso airspace closure tied to FAA-Pentagon standoffSpeed Read The closure in the Texas border city stemmed from disagreements between the Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon officials over drone-related tests
-
Judge blocks Trump suit for Michigan voter rollsSpeed Read A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s demand for voters’ personal data
-
US to send 200 troops to Nigeria to train armySpeed Read Trump has accused the West African government of failing to protect Christians from terrorist attacks
-
Grand jury rejects charging 6 Democrats for ‘orders’ videoSpeed Read The jury refused to indict Democratic lawmakers for a video in which they urged military members to resist illegal orders
