President Trump on Friday called on the Senate to confirm William Barr as attorney general with bipartisan support, ahead of what is expected to be a tough confirmation battle.
“There’s no one more capable or more qualified for this role. He deserves overwhelming, bipartisan support. I suspect he’ll probably get it,” Trump said during remarks at a law-enforcement convention in Kansas City, Mo.
Barr previously served as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush and was confirmed unanimously by the Senate in 1991.
{mosads}Trump called Barr an “outstanding man” whom in his previous tenure “demonstrated [an] unwavering adherence to the rule of law.”
Barr, whom Trump announced earlier Friday as his pick for attorney general, is expected to face scrutiny from Republicans and Democrats in the Senate over his views on the Russia investigation.
He has criticized certain parts of special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe and defended Trump’s decision to fire James Comey as FBI director.
Trump never forgave his previous attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for recusing himself from running the investigation and has openly mused about wanting a loyalist in control of the Justice Department.
Republicans have praised Barr as a capable, worthy nominee while Democrats in the Senate have expressed reservations, citing his views on the Russia probe.
Barr’s selection is part of a broader shakeup of Trump’s Cabinet and senior White House staff, and the president alluded to unhappiness with some of the people around him.
“You know, in life, you never know,” Trump said after praising Missouri Sen.-elect Josh Hawley (R). “You pick somebody. Looks good. Sounds good. Think he’s smart. And then they choke. They choke like dogs. And you say, ‘What did I do, I picked the wrong person?’ “
Reports emerged Friday that White House chief of staff John Kelly is expected to leave his post in the coming days, a move that would end his tumultuous tenure at Trump’s top adviser.
Trump also named State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert as his pick to replace Nikki Haley as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
The comments also come after former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson blasted Trump as someone who does not understand his job, is not well-read and often expressed a desire to take actions that would violate the law.
Trump selected Tillerson as secretary of State soon after meeting him during the presidential transition but quickly soured on the former ExxonMobil chief. Tillerson was fired in March as the nation’s top diplomat.