Donald Trump's Eldest Sister Maryanne Dies At 86
Maryanne Trump Barry, the eldest sister of former President Donald Trump, passed away Monday. She was 86.
The New York City Police Department confirmed her death on the same day to Fox News.
Barry was found in her Fifth Avenue apartment in New York City at around 4 a.m., with no signs of trauma or foul play reported, unnamed sources told ABC News.
Emergency crews responded to a call of cardiac arrest at the home, according to the sources.
Barry, a former federal judge and prosecutor, had a distinguished career. She was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the Federal District Court in New Jersey in 1983 and later nominated by President Bill Clinton to the 3rd Court of Appeals in 1999.
She retired in 2019 amid an investigation into alleged tax fraud.
The New York Times reported that the Trump family, including Barry, inflated their inheritances through tax schemes. Her attorney denied the allegations.
Barry's retirement ended the investigation into her.
While Barry was one of the former president's closest confidants throughout his life, a rift occurred during his last year in office when her niece, Mary Trump, released recordings of Barry speaking critically of her brother.
RIP Maryanne Trump, who famously said of her brother: “All he wants to do is appeal to his base. He has no principles. None. None. .. His goddamned tweet and lying, oh my God. I’m talking too freely, but you know. The change of stories. The lack of preparation. The lying. Holy… pic.twitter.com/hrkjuW2Hqh
The recordings, first obtained by The Washington Post, revealed Barry criticizing her brother for his dishonesty, lack of principles, and "the change of stories."
She also reportedly revealed in a conversation with her niece that Trump allegedly had someone take an SAT exam for him, a claim widely circulated in Mary's book.
In 2015, the current Republican presidential frontrunner spoke highly of his sister, suggesting she could be considered for the Supreme Court.
However, their relationship faced challenges, with Barry filing a lawsuit in 2020, along with Mary Trump, alleging a scheme to siphon funds away from her interests. The lawsuit was dismissed by a judge, citing a decades-old settlement, according to CNN.
Barry, the oldest of five siblings, graduated from Hofstra University's law school in 1974.
In a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, she said she chose not to pursue a law career until her son was in sixth grade.
She acknowledged avoiding competition with Donald, stating, "I knew better even as a child than to even attempt to compete with Donald."
