Maryanne Trump Barry, former President Donald Trump’s elder sister and a retired federal appellate judge, passed away on Monday at the age of 86. The New York City Police Department confirmed her death to Fox News. Barry, who had retired in April 2019, died at her Manhattan home in New York City, as reported by individuals familiar with the matter.
Donald Trump, in 2016, had described his sister as a “highly respected judge,” while acknowledging their differences in public policy views. However, in 2020, Trump downplayed secret audio recordings released that captured Barry criticizing him for having “no principles” and being “cruel.” These recordings were made public around the time the White House was holding a private memorial for Robert Trump, the president’s younger brother, who died in August 2020.
The recordings of Barry were made by Mary Trump, the president’s niece, who also authored a critical book about Donald Trump and their family. In these recordings from 2018, Barry was heard expressing her dismay over Trump’s administration, particularly its controversial zero-tolerance policy at the U.S.-Mexico border, which resulted in children being separated from their parents.
Barry’s distinguished legal career included a tenure as a federal prosecutor. She was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to the Federal District Court in New Jersey in 1983. Later, in 1999, President Bill Clinton appointed her to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. After Donald Trump assumed the presidency in 2017, Barry informed the court that she would cease hearing cases.
Her passing marks the loss of a notable figure who not only had a significant legal career but also held a unique position as a sibling of a former U.S. president.