Maryanne Trump Barry, elder sister of former President Donald Trump, passed away on Monday morning at the age of 86 in her Upper East Side residence in Manhattan. The cause of her death remains unknown as reported by the New York Times.
There has been no immediate response from Trump’s representative regarding this sad news.
Notably, Barry was recorded secretly criticizing her brother by her niece, Mary L. Trump, despite being a prominent supporter of Donald Trump’s business and political endeavors. She retired in February 2019 amid an investigation into alleged tax fraud related to her father’s real estate empire.
Barry’s legal career, which spanned many years, began in 1974 when she became an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey. She was one of the two women in the office at that time. Her ascent continued when President Ronald Reagan nominated her to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey in 1983.
Further recognition came when President Bill Clinton appointed her to the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 1999. Barry notably stood against an Immigration Court judge in a 2006 case, calling out what she deemed as “bullying” against an African refugee seeking asylum after losing several relatives in a coup.
Barry’s stance on immigration often differed from that of her brother, which was made evident in the secret recording where she criticized Trump’s immigration policies, particularly regarding the separation of children from their parents at the border.
She consistently advocated for a more compassionate approach to immigration, setting her apart from her younger brother in the public eye.
“All he wants to do is appeal to his base,” Barry told her niece. “He has no principles. None. None. And his base, I mean my God, if you were a religious person, you want to help people. Not do this.”
The former president appeared to downplay the remarks, as their opposing viewpoints on the matter were previously acknowledged. Before Maryanne Trump Barry’s comments became public, both siblings were entangled in a New York Times investigation concerning their inheritance. Barry, a former judge, was accused of violating judicial conduct by collaborating with her siblings to assess their tax responsibilities.
The investigation into these allegations led to Barry’s retirement in 2019, effectively concluding the probe.