Trump picks William Barr as next attorney general

President Trump on Friday said he would nominate William Barr, a former attorney general under George H.W. Bush, to helm the Justice Department. "He was my first choice since day one," Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of Barr. "He 'll be nominated." Trump also said he would nominate Heather Nauert to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Nauert, who has served as the spokeswoman for the State Department for Trump's presidency, had previously been seen as the favorite for the role. If confirmed, Barr will fill the void left by Jeff Sessions when he resigned as attorney general at Trump’s request in early November after weathering months of attacks from the president over his recusal from the Russia investigation. While he is a well-known figure in Washington, Barr is expected to face a tough confirmation battle in the Senate. He is likely to face questions about the Justice Department’s political independence from the White House as well as Trump’s criticism of the department over special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible collusion between the president’s campaign and Moscow. In the meantime, Matthew Whitaker will continue to lead the department in an acting capacity. Whitaker has faced intense public scrutiny from Democrats and other Trump critics for his past remarks on the Russia investigation, including suggesting at one point that Mueller would be crossing a “red line” by investigating Trump’s finances. Barr, 68, served as attorney general from 1991 to 1993 under Bush. He then spent more than a decade serving in corporate roles, including as general counsel and executive vice president of Verizon Communications, before joining the law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLP....MORE