Barr: Trump’s lawyers did not request any redactions in Mueller report

by Jacqueline Thomsen - 04/18/19 9:55 AM ET

Attorney General William Barr said Thursday that President Trump’s personal lawyers were given the opportunity to read a final version of the redacted report earlier this week but did not request additional redactions.

“The president’s personal counsel requested and were given the opportunity to read a final version of the redacted report before it was publicly released,” Barr said at a press conference. “That request was consistent with the practice followed under the Ethics in Government Act, which permitted individuals named in a report prepared by an independent counsel the opportunity to read the report before publication.”

{mosads}He said the president’s lawyers did not ask for and were not allowed to make any redactions.

Barr added that no material from the report was redacted based on executive privilege.

Questions have lingered over whether Trump would assert executive privilege by requesting certain information be omitted from Mueller’s report. Barr’s statement indicates the White House did not make such a request.

The attorney general did not specify which members of Trump’s legal team reviewed the final redacted version, but former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) has been serving as the president’s personal counsel during the special counsel’s probe.

Giuliani has said Trump’s legal team is preparing a “counter report” to rebuff Mueller’s findings that will be released at the same as the special counsel’s report.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that the Justice Department has given multiple briefings to the White House about Mueller’s findings, sparking backlash from congressional Democrats.

Barr’s critics also decried his decision to hold a press conference before the public release of Mueller’s report, arguing he is attempting to “spin” the report’s findings to defend the president.

Congress is expected to receive a redacted version of the report at 11 a.m. Thursday. The report will then be posted on the Justice Department website.

Barr has said his actions surrounding the timing of the report’s release have been in line with Justice Department guidelines.

Updated at 10:12 a.m.

Tags Donald Trump William Barr