President Trump on Saturday sought to downplay comments made by his sister Maryanne Trump Barry in audio leaked to the Washington Post that he has "no principles" and "you can’t trust him."
Why it matters: Maryanne Trump Barry has never publicly criticized the president on his policies. But, according to the recording by their niece Mary Trump, the retired federal judge said of his immigration policies: "It's the phoniness of it all. It's the phoniness and this cruelty. Donald is cruel."
- The latest controversy comes before next week's Republican National Convention where Trump is to formally accept his party’s nomination to run for a second term.
The other side: When asked for comment on the revelations, President Trump said in a statement to Axios, "Every day it's something else, who cares. I miss my brother, and I’ll continue to work hard for the American people. Not everyone agrees, but the results are obvious. Our country will soon be stronger than ever before."
Context: Per WashPost, Mary Trump Barry made the comments to their niece, who wrote a best-selling tell-all book on her uncle, after he joked to Fox News in 2018: "Maybe I'll have to put her at the border" amid a shortage of judges.
What they're saying: Chris Bastardi, spokesperson for Mary Trump said: "Mary realized members of her family had lied in prior depositions. Anticipating litigation, she felt it prudent to tape conversations in order to protect herself.