Former President Donald Trump responded to the death of his sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, earlier this week, praising her as “the smartest person on the court.”
New York City officials confirmed to The Epoch Times on Monday that Ms. Barry, 86, died at her residence in New York City on Monday. She previously served as a federal appeals court judge for decades.
“A truly beautiful woman, tall and elegant, with a presence like no other, she was also a tremendous student, intellect, and Judge, in charge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, just below the U.S. Supreme Court,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He added: “Her life was largely problem free, PERFECT, until I made it difficult for her when I decided to run for President. The Fake News, and others, went after her mercilessly, and because of the fact that she felt it inappropriate, due to her position, to defend herself, it just never stopped! While tough and strong, she was made to suffer in those years from 2016 until her Retirement.”
Ms. Barry, President Trump’s eldest sister, was appointed by then-President Ronald Reagan to be a district judge. Later, she became a Third Circuit Court of Appeals judge before retiring in 2019.
“I will never forget the many times people would come up to me and say, ‘Your sister was the smartest person on the Court.’ I was always honored by that, but understood exactly what they meant—They were right! She was a great Judge, and a great sister. She will be truly missed!” the former president also wrote.
The former president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., confirmed Ms. Barry’s death on Monday.
“As I pulled up here this morning, I found out my aunt passed away,” Donald Trump Jr. told reporters outside a courthouse in Manhattan where he was testifying in his father’s civil fraud trial. “It’s obviously a rough day for that, but unfortunately it is what it is,” he said, adding that “I’m very close with her grandson.”
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a statement regarding her death on Tuesday. “Judge Barry was a larger-than-life presence in the courtroom, incredibly smart, and passionate about the law and ensuring equal justice to all,” the court said.
During her brother’s presidency, Ms. Barry had stayed largely out of the spotlight. However, she drew headlines after her niece, Mary Trump, secretly recorded her aunt while she promoted her book before they were released to the press.
At the time, President Trump released a statement: “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.” He was referring to the 2020 death of his brother, Robert Trump.
Three of the former president’s four siblings have now died. His brother Fred Trump Jr. died of a heart attack at age 42 in 1981.
Meanwhile, the former president’s first wife, Ivana Trump—who is the mother of Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka—died last year.
President Trump’s lone surviving sibling is Elizabeth Trump Grau, who is 81.
Before becoming a judge, Ms. Barry became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1974. She was nominated to the federal court in New Jersey by President Ronald Reagan. She was later elevated to the U.S. Court of Appeals by President Bill Clinton. She retired in 2019 amid an investigation into her family’s tax practices.
The news of Ms. Barry’s death was first reported by the Daily Voice in Nassau County in New York state.
