Bill Barr said he thinks the DOJ probably has a 'basis for legitimately indicting' Trump over Mar-a-Lago documents
- Former AG Bill Barr spoke with PBS about the DOJ's probe of seized documents from Mar-a-Lago.
- Barr said he believed that the Justice Department may have enough evidence to indict Donald Trump.
Former Attorney General Bill Barr said he believes the Justice Department may have enough evidence to indict Donald Trump for his handling of sensitive White House documents.
"I personally think that they probably have the basis for legitimately indicting the president," Barr said, referring to Trump, in an interview with PBS that aired Friday.
The attorney emphasized he was speculating but added that "given what's gone on, I think they probably have the evidence that would check the box."
A spokesperson for Trump did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
The interview was filmed prior to the latest development in the Justice Department's probe into Trump's handling of government documents. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday named a special counsel to take over investigations involving the former president.
Jack Smith, a veteran federal prosecutor registered to vote as an independent, will preside over investigations into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as well as the documents Trump held at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump, who on Tuesday announced plans to run for president in 2024, responded to the appointment of a special counsel on Truth Social, writing the Justice Department was full of "Trump haters" and calling it "disgraceful."
Barr, who was once a staunch ally of Trump, served as his attorney general from February 2019 to December 2020. The pair had a falling out after the 2020 election when Barr came forward to say the Justice Department had found no evidence of widespread fraud that would've impacted the election outcome, publicly rebuking Trump's claims. He resigned weeks later.
Barr has since continued to rebuke Trump, saying in September the Justice Department was likely justified in raiding Mar-a-Lago. Trump lashed out in response, calling Barr a "weak and pathetic RINO," or Republicans in Name Only."