U.S. Attorney General William Barr is stepping down from his post next week.
After meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, Trump tweeted that Barr “will be leaving just before Christmas to spend the holidays with his family.”
Trump posted a resignation letter from Barr that included extensive praise of the president’s administration. It said Barr’s last day leading the Justice Department will be December 23.
Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen will become acting attorney general, Trump added.
Barr was a staunch ally of Trump but angered the president by stating there was no widespread fraud that would change the outcome of the November election. Trump has repeatedly disputed the result while making fraud claims.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, another Trump ally, praised Barr’s work as attorney general.
“I think he did an incredibly good job trying to repair damage done to the Department of Justice, trying to be fair and faithful to the law. I think he’s got a lot to be proud of," Graham said. “He fought for the president where he could, as every attorney general and administration should, but he also didn’t cross lines that he shouldn’t have crossed."
Democrats have been sharply critical of Barr throughout his time in office, saying he acted in the interests of the president.
"William Barr was willing to do the President’s bidding on every front but one. Barr refused to play along with President Trump’s nonsensical claims to have won the election," Democratic House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said in a statement.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff tweeted: “Attorney General Bill Barr: Lied to cover for Trump. Launched political investigations. Subverted justice and the rule of law. And violently cracked down on protestors. So good riddance. Now, the work of restoring a credible and independent justice system must begin.”
