title: AG Barr blasts Trump's tweets: ABC News Exclusive
content: Transcript for AG Barr blasts Trump 's tweets : ███ Exclusive
  US attorney . For the dish of Colombia signed off on his name is on the recommendation that went in there yeah how 'd that happen . On Monday . He came . Two briefly chat with me and say that . The team very much wanted to recommend . The seven to nine year to judge . And but he thought that there was away . Satisfying . Everybody fighting more flexibility . And there was a brief discussion that I was under the impression . What was going to happen was . Very much and I it suggestion which is deferring to the judge and then pointing at various factors and circumstances . On Monday . Night . 11 for the news reports said gee that news is spending this this is not what we look . Going to do you were surprised I was very surprised . And once I eight confirmed that that 's actually what we filed I said that night . To my staff that we had to get ready as we had to do something in the morning two men having clarify our position us I had made decisions Philip was fair and reasonable . In this particular case . And what 's the tweed occurred the question as well . Now our elected and do you go forward with what you think is the right decision or be pulled back because of the tweet that just sort of illustrates had disrupted these tweets . So you 're saying of a problem with tweets . Yes well I have a I have a problem . With some of some of this that we unhappiness day in fact the president has never asked me to do anything in the criminal case . However . To have public statements and tweets made about the department . About . People in the department are armed men and women here but back case is pending in the department . And about judges before whom we have cases . Make it impossible . For me to do my job to assure the courts . And the prosecutors in this in the department . That we 're doing our work with integrity . This of our . And president . Does not like to be told what to do he may not like what you 're sick you prepared for those ramifications . Could of course as I said during my confirmation . I came in to serve as attorney general . I am responsible for everything that happens in the department but the thing I have most responsibility for a the issues that are brought to me . For decision . And I will make those decisions based on what I think is the right thing to do and I 'm not going to be bullied or influenced by . Anybody and I said it I 'm whether it 's congress newspaper editorial boards for the president I 'm gon na do what I think is right . And you know . The I think the V I can not do my job here at the department . We will have constant background commentary . At that undercuts . So just to be clear here . Did you talk to the president at all about your decision regarding the recommendations . The recommendations on that this case never . Anybody from the White House call you to try to if you should know . So I have not had n't I have not discussed the Roger Stone case at the White House . Does the president have the authority to just direct you to open an investigation and you have to do it . Can you help people that own home understand can he do that I think in it in them in many kept in many areas such as . Did that do n't affect is . Personal interest terrorism terrorism or . Fraud by a bank or her or something like that . Where there he 's concerned about something . He he can certainly say you know I think someone should look and that 's that 's perfectly appropriate . If he were to say you know go investigate somebody because . And and you sense it because their political opponent . Then attorney general should n't carry that would n't carry that . Having known here in covered you for years you 're not a person that response a lot to criticism . But I am wondering in this version of the job you would n't and when you hear people on Capitol Hill saying . Bars acting more like the personal attorney the president rather than the chief law enforcement officer . How irritated does that make you what do you say those people . Well they can . This goes back to the fact we are in very polarized situation and and so in that kind of situation I expect a line of low blows and thorough . Search by . I do n't respond to that as you say . But I do think that in the current situation . As as I 've said . You know the fact that the tweets are out there and car respond to things we 're doing at the department . Sort of give grist for the mill and that 's why I think it 's time to stop the tweeting about it Department of Justice criminal case .
  This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100 % accurate .
content_original: Transcript for AG Barr blasts Trump's tweets: ABC News Exclusive
  
  US attorney. For the dish of Colombia signed off on his name is on the recommendation that went in there yeah how'd that happen. On Monday. He came. Two briefly chat with me and say that. The team very much wanted to recommend. The seven to nine year to judge. And but he thought that there was away. Satisfying. Everybody fighting more flexibility. And there was a brief discussion that I was under the impression. What was going to happen was. Very much and I it suggestion which is deferring to the judge and then pointing at various factors and circumstances. On Monday. Night. 11 for the news reports said gee that news is spending this this is not what we look. Going to do you were surprised I was very surprised. And once I eight confirmed that that's actually what we filed I said that night. To my staff that we had to get ready as we had to do something in the morning two men having clarify our position us I had made decisions Philip was fair and reasonable. In this particular case. And what's the tweed occurred the question as well. Now our elected and do you go forward with what you think is the right decision or be pulled back because of the tweet that just sort of illustrates had disrupted these tweets. So you're saying of a problem with tweets. Yes well I have a I have a problem. With some of some of this that we unhappiness day in fact the president has never asked me to do anything in the criminal case. However. To have public statements and tweets made about the department. About. People in the department are armed men and women here but back case is pending in the department. And about judges before whom we have cases. Make it impossible. For me to do my job to assure the courts. And the prosecutors in this in the department. That we're doing our work with integrity. This of our. And president. Does not like to be told what to do he may not like what you're sick you prepared for those ramifications. Could of course as I said during my confirmation. I came in to serve as attorney general. I am responsible for everything that happens in the department but the thing I have most responsibility for a the issues that are brought to me. For decision. And I will make those decisions based on what I think is the right thing to do and I'm not going to be bullied or influenced by. Anybody and I said it I'm whether it's congress newspaper editorial boards for the president I'm gonna do what I think is right. And you know. The I think the V I cannot do my job here at the department. We will have constant background commentary. At that undercuts. So just to be clear here. Did you talk to the president at all about your decision regarding the recommendations. The recommendations on that this case never. Anybody from the White House call you to try to if you should know. So I have not hadn't I have not discussed the Roger Stone case at the White House. Does the president have the authority to just direct you to open an investigation and you have to do it. Can you help people that own home understand can he do that I think in it in them in many kept in many areas such as. Did that don't affect is. Personal interest terrorism terrorism or. Fraud by a bank or her or something like that. Where there he's concerned about something. He he can certainly say you know I think someone should look and that's that's perfectly appropriate. If he were to say you know go investigate somebody because. And and you sense it because their political opponent. Then attorney general shouldn't carry that wouldn't carry that. Having known here in covered you for years you're not a person that response a lot to criticism. But I am wondering in this version of the job you wouldn't and when you hear people on Capitol Hill saying. Bars acting more like the personal attorney the president rather than the chief law enforcement officer. How irritated does that make you what do you say those people. Well they can. This goes back to the fact we are in very polarized situation and and so in that kind of situation I expect a line of low blows and thorough. Search by. I don't respond to that as you say. But I do think that in the current situation. As as I've said. You know the fact that the tweets are out there and car respond to things we're doing at the department. Sort of give grist for the mill and that's why I think it's time to stop the tweeting about it Department of Justice criminal case.
  
  This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.