Some Republicans don’t seem to have the word “consistency” in their vocabulary. Former Attorney General Bill Barr, who once openly criticized Donald Trump, is now claiming he would vote for the former president again, given the chance. In an interview with NBC News, broadcast Monday, Barr said that while he doesn’t want Trump to be the 2024 GOP nominee, he wouldn’t vote for anyone else if he’s on the ballot.
The comments contradict other statements made by Barr, including those regarding the 2020 election being marked “stolen.” Barr had previously said that while he remains a Republican, he does not believe the election was stolen or that Biden wrongfully won. Additionally, his upcoming memoir also mentions behind-the-scenes moments in which Trump isn’t depicted in the best light.
"The president is a man who, when he is told something he doesn't want to hear, he immediately throws a tantrum and attacks a person personally," Barr told NBC News. He added: “After the election, he went off the rails. He wouldn't listen to anybody except a little coterie of sycophants who were telling him what he wanted to hear."
Barr’s comments to vote again for the president also come despite attacks from Trump, in which he called the former attorney general “cowardly” in response to said upcoming memoir.
“Bill Barr cares more about being accepted by the corrupt Washington media and elite than serving the American people. He was slow, lethargic, and I realized early on that he never had what it takes to make a great attorney general,” Trump said in a letter to NBC News host, Lester Holt, after Barr’s interview.
Of course, these comments were made out of spite, because while Barr was a member of Trump’s cabinet, Trump said, “He’s doing an excellent job. He’s a strong guy.”
Seems like Barr is attempting to fix relations with Trump in an attempt to get more book sales.
Given his lengthy history of comments against the former president, this might be a rocky path for him. Barr and Trump transitioned from allies to foes following Barr’s lack of support for Trump’s “stolen election” claims—he even called them “bullshit.” But that’s not all; Barr also said he felt Trump bears some responsibility for the Jan. 6 riots and insurrection. While we all know he does, other Republicans have refused to admit so, making Barr a target for Trump and his minions.
"I do think he was responsible in the broad sense of that word, in that it appears that part of the plan was to send this group up to the Hill. I think the whole idea was to intimidate Congress. And I think that that was wrong," Barr confirmed when asked if he believed Trump was responsible for the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
But of course, he had to backtrack to ensure he didn’t dig himself into a deeper ditch with the former president. "I haven't seen anything to say he was legally responsible for it, in terms of incitement," Barr said.
Despite all the horrible things Trump has done, the tension between them, and the criticism he has toward him, Barr confirmed he’d still vote for Trump because the “real threat” to his values is the Democratic Party.
"Well, I certainly have made it clear. I don't think he should be our nominee and I'm going to support somebody else for the nominee," he told NBC News. "Because I believe that the greatest threat to the country is the progressive agenda being pushed by the Democratic Party. It's inconceivable to me that I wouldn't vote for the Republican nominee.”
The comment clearly is to make sure Republican supporters buy his book, despite his criticism of some of their favorites. He knows the support Trump has, and it's clear he’s trying to make amends before sales begin.
But let’s be real: Republican leadership doesn’t care about facts, and neither does Barr. It’s no surprise he is both willing to belittle and support Trump at the same time.