In late September, President Trump wanted Attorney General William Barr to hold a news conference and tell reporters that Trump didn't break any laws during his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.
The appeal made its way from the White House to the Justice Department, but Barr ultimately turned Trump down, the Post reports. During the phone call, Trump asked Zelensky to launch an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The White House released a reconstructed partial transcript of the call on Sept. 25. Several Trump advisers told associates that while Trump wishes Barr had held the news conference, they are still on good terms, the Post reports.
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