William Barr’s primary mission as attorney general has seemingly been to protect Donald Trump at all costs. So far this has entailed attempting to thwart Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation at every turn, most recently by pushing back against his own agency’s conclusions i.e. the probe’s origins. As Trump has been pulled deeper into an impeachment investigation centered on his administration’s dealings in Ukraine, Barr has reportedly turned his attention to the vector of Trump’s doings there. “In several conversations in recent months, [Barr] has counseled Trump in general terms that [Rudy Giuliani has become a liability and a problem for the administration,” the Washington Post reported Sunday, citing several sources familiar with the conversations. “In one discussion, the attorney general warned the president that he was not being well-served by his lawyer.”

What could possibly give Barr the impression that Trump isn’t being well-served by Giuliani? Is it the fact that two of his close associates have been indicted and that he himself is under criminal investigation? Is it that, despite being under investigation on multiple fronts, Giuliani has continued his Ukrainian misadventures—this time as a budding documentary filmmaker? Or perhaps it was the former New York City mayor’s bit about having an “insurance” policy should Trump turn on him, as he has with virtually every one of his lackeys.

In any case, the attorney general’s words of caution underscore Giuliani’s low standing with almost everyone in Trumpworld. Sources familiar with the matter told the Post that Giuliani’s actions have “caused persistent alarm among Trump’s advisers,” particularly as it’s never quite clear who Giuliani is speaking for at any given time. Advisors have repeatedly warned Trump to stay away from Rudy, whose erratic defenses of his client both during the Russia probe and impeachment inquiry invariably seem to worsen the president’s position. “We don’t want Rudy out there,” a source close to Trump told my colleague Gabriel Sherman earlier this month. “Every time he talks it’s bad for Trump.” After Giuliani’s insurance policy quip during a TV interview in November, it seemed as though the president may finally be coming around to his advisors’ views. “Trump was pissed,” a source told Sherman.

As Giuliani headed to Ukraine last week, however—just as the impeachment inquiry triggered by his pressure campaign there began to heat up—Trump was back to touting his personal attorney’s work: “I think he wants to go before Congress,” the president told reporters Saturday as he left the White House for Florida. “I hear he has found plenty.” In fact, according to Trump, Giuliani plans to “make a report” about what he’s learned in his ongoing freelance investigation in Kiev to Barr—the very person who warned the president against him. “He has a lot of good information,” Trump said. “I have not spoken to him about that information yet.”

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