News / Politics

Barr: Trump should not testify in hush money case because ‘he lacks all self-control’

Sunday, 02 April 2023 3:20 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 02 April 2023 3:20 PM ]

Then-US Attorney General William Barr (left) and then-President Donald Trump turn to leave after speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House, in Washington, July 11, 2019. (AP file photo)

Former Republican President Donald Trump should not testify in the criminal case against him in New York because “he lacks all self-control,” according to former US Attorney General Bill Barr.

“Generally, I think it’s a bad idea to go on the stand and I think it’s a particularly bad idea for Trump because he lacks all self-control,” Barr said on “Fox News Sunday.” “It’d be very difficult to prepare him and keep him testifying in a prudent fashion.”

Barr’s comments come after Trump was indicted last week in the Manhattan investigation into alleged hush money payments made to adult movies actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.

Trump’s indictment has been filed under seal and will be announced in the coming days. The charges are not publicly known at this time.

Trump has denounced the investigation against him a as “witch-hunt” and political persecution and his lawyers have vowed to fight the impending charges against him.

Barr served as Trump’s attorney general from 2019 to 2020. He also served as former President George H.W. Bush’s attorney general. Barr resigned in December 2020.

Barr has also been critical of the prosecution in New York, saying the indictment of Trump shows the “abuse of the prosecutive function.”

“Based on what we know, it certainly appears to be,” Barr said on Sunday when asked if he thinks the indictment of Trump is a “political” prosecution. “I think the American people see that… pursuing a person rather than pursuing a real crime.”

Trump still holds lead over DeSantis, Haley despite indictment: Poll

Donald Trump maintains a significant lead in a hypothetical Republican primary poll over his other current and potential GOP challengers despite his indictment by a court in New York City, according to a new poll.

Trump’s indictment is of historic significance as no former president has ever been indicted on criminal charges.

The Manhattan grand jury indicted Trump on more than 30 criminal charges related to business fraud, according to Trump's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, as well as other sources familiar with the matter.

One of the cases, in particular, is related to the cover-up of the hush money payment to Daniels back in 2016.

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