The Trump administration often acts as though the attorney general is meant to be the president's personal defense lawyer, and Attorney General William Barr so far has been happy to comply. But Barr's belief that authority should go unquestioned apparently extends beyond the Oval Office. On Tuesday, he spoke at the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing, and in his speech he addressed what he considers a lack of enthusiasm and respect for police officers:

"I think today, the American people have to focus on something else, which is the sacrifice and the service that is given by our law enforcement officers. They have to start showing, more than they do, the respect and support that law enforcement deserves. And if communities don’t give that support and respect, they might find themselves without the police protection they need."

While Barr didn't specify what "communities" he had in mind, Jeb Fain, spokesperson for liberal super PAC American Bridge, wrote in a statement to HuffPost, "The Attorney General isn't being subtle and that shouldn't surprise us considering this administration's record. When it comes to communities of color, he sees justice and equal protection under the law as subject to conditions. Barr’s words are as revealing as they are disturbing―flagrantly dismissive of the rights of Americans of color, disrespectful to countless law enforcement officers who work hard to serve their communities, and full of a continuing disregard for the rule of law." As New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie wrote, "This worldview is ubiquitous and genuinely disturbing. It looks at a culture of police abuse and violence—of routine shootings and brutality—and says 'you have no right to complain or protest, shut up and be grateful.'"

This isn't the first time Barr has made comments suggesting that police authority should not be second-guessed. In an August speech to the Fraternal Order of Police, Barr said there should be "zero tolerance for resisting police" and added that district attorneys pushing for criminal justice reform and greater police accountability are "demoralizing to law enforcement and dangerous to public safety."