WASHINGTON _ Attorney General William Barr has told associates he might resign in response to comments and tweets by President Donald Trump about Justice Department investigations, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Barr has been discussing his frustration that Trump continues to wade into Justice Department business, after issuing a rare public rebuke against Trump last week, according to the person, who asked to remain anonymous speaking about the sensitive matter.
The attorney general's private comments raise the stakes between Barr and Trump, although Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec tweeted late Tuesday that Barr has "no plans to resign." The Washington Post reported earlier that Barr is considering quitting over Trump's tweets.
Tension between Trump and Barr surfaced last week when Barr did an interview with ABC News in which he said Trump's commentary on Justice Department matters is making it impossible for him to do his job.
Trump has continued to weigh in on department matters since then, including telling reporters on Tuesday that he's the chief law enforcement officer of the country. Trump also said he has "total confidence" in Barr, while indicating that he plans to continue to use social media to express his views.
On Tuesday, Trump again commented on the case of his longtime associate Roger Stone, saying he thought it was a "very, very rough thing" that happened to him. Stone is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday after being convicted of obstructing a congressional investigation, making false statements to Congress and tampering with witnesses.
Barr has come under intense criticism since he overruled front-line prosecutors last week to reduce the recommended prison time that Stone should receive. Democrats have accused him of taking partisan actions to protect the president and his friends.
Word of Barr's displeasure emerged on the eve of a workshop he is convening to explore potential changes to a legal shield that protects internet companies from lawsuits over user-generated content. The workshop will feature speeches by critics of the big technology companies that have come under fire from both conservatives and liberals.
