Maryanne Trump Barry, former federal judge and older sister to ex-President Donald J Trump, passed away at the age of 86 in her New York City home on Monday morning. The New York Times reported the news, noting that the cause of her death is currently unknown.
Barry, the eldest daughter of Fred and Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, began her legal career as an assistant US attorney in 1974. Ronald Reagan appointed her to the US district court for New Jersey in 1983, and she served until her retirement in 2019. Her husband, trial and appellate lawyer John Barry, predeceased her.
Known for her contentious relationship with her younger brother, Donald Trump, 77, Barry had been openly critical of his political style. Audio recordings released by Mary L Trump, Barry and Donald’s niece, exposed her candid opinions, including referring to her brother as a “clown” during the 2016 election.
The former president, currently the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, is facing numerous criminal charges in four cases. He has experienced several personal losses in recent years, including the death of his younger brother, Robert S. Trump, in 2020, for whom he held a White House funeral service. Additionally, his first wife, Ivana Trump, passed away in 2022.