Former Attorney General Bill Barr, who had previously criticized Donald Trump and said he shouldn’t be near the Oval Office, recently stated in an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that he would vote for Trump over President Joe Biden in the 2024 election. Barr expressed his belief that Biden is unfit for office and that Trump would do less damage than Biden, dismissing concerns about threats to democracy as coming from the progressive movement and the Biden administration.
Collins pressed Barr on his decision to vote for someone who had tried to subvert the peaceful transfer of power, faced criminal charges, and spread lies about the election. Barr defended his choice, stating that he would support the Republican ticket and vote for Trump specifically because he believes Trump would do less damage over the four years compared to Biden. Barr emphasized his belief that the real threat to democracy comes from the left, particularly the progressive movement.
Despite Barr’s previous criticisms of Trump, particularly regarding the federal election subversion case, Barr reiterated his support for Trump in the upcoming election. He downplayed Trump’s actions to disrupt the transfer of power after the 2020 election and justified his decision as choosing the lesser of two evils. Barr pointed out that he agreed with Trump’s policies and defended the administration’s actions against media portrayals of lawlessness, citing victories in courts.
Barr’s appearance on CNN’s “The Source” followed the Supreme Court hearing arguments in the election subversion case, where Trump argues for absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office. Barr expressed his disagreement with Trump’s sweeping immunity claims and stated that the case should be tried before the election with precision in determining where Trump crossed the line between executing laws faithfully and pressuring states to change their votes against him.
When pressed by Collins on his views of Trump’s behavior after the election, Barr maintained that whether it was a crime is a separate issue requiring all evidence to be presented and the case to be litigated. Barr expressed his discomfort with Trump’s post-election behavior but stopped short of giving a definitive answer on whether it constituted a crime. Ultimately, Barr’s decision to support Trump over Biden stems from his belief in Trump’s policies and the notion of picking the lesser of two evils.
In conclusion, Barr’s endorsement of Trump in the upcoming election comes after a history of criticizing the former president. Despite his reservations about Trump’s actions, particularly regarding the transfer of power and election subversion, Barr believes that Trump would be a preferable choice over Biden due to policy alignment and perceived damage control. Barr’s interview with CNN sheds light on his rationale for voting for Trump and highlights his concerns about preserving democracy and upholding the rule of law in the face of political challenges.
