Former Attorney General Bill Barr sounded the alarm on a “chaotic” second Trump presidency, warning that nobody will be able to stop his “abuse of government power” in his second term.
“One of the reasons I’m against Trump as the [Republican National Committee] nominee is I don’t think he’s going to move the country forward,” Barr told Fox News host Neil Cavuto on Friday.
“I’m worried his style of governance, his continuing to pander to anger and frustration versus a constructive approach to solving our problem is going to be chaotic and not going to accomplish very much. He’ll be a lame duck president.”
Barr, who served as Attorney General for George H.W. Bush and Trump, explained that Trump could be managed during his first term because his prospects of a second term depended on his actions, which won’t apply if he’s elected again.
“During his first term, the main way that could be was by pointing out to him how this would hurt his prospects for a second term. Once he wins a second term I don’t know what considerations can be used to push back bad ideas,” Barr explained.
Barr then said that anybody working for Trump in his second term must be ready to “oppose the abuse of government power,” but didn’t elaborate on what such abuses will look like.
“I think for people going into that administration. I think they have to be ready to oppose the abuse of government power,” he said.
Barr also cited a Wall Street Journal poll showing GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley beating Joe Biden by 17 points in a hypothetical 2024 matchup, which he claimed makes her a stronger candidate than Trump.
“There’s a lot of attention paid to the polls that show him 2 or 3 points ahead of Biden but very little attention is being paid to the polls that are showing some of the other candidates like Haley beating Biden by 17 points,” he said. “And I feel a Republican candidate who’s able to win a decisive victory will be much better positioned than Trump to move the country forward.”
Ultimately, Barr refused to say who he would vote for in 2024, only that he will “pick his poison” when Election Day comes.