Ex-Trump White House official Alyssa Farah Griffin revealed in an interview with Mediaite’s Aidan McLaughlin that then-President Donald Trump discussed “executing” people in multiple White House meetings. Griffin, a guest on Mediaite’s new Press Club podcast, shared her insights during a wide-ranging conversation.
When asked about former Trump administration officials who criticize Trump but later endorse him, Griffin brought up a notable meeting. At this meeting, then-Attorney General Bill Barr couldn’t recall if Trump explicitly said a leaker should be executed, but Griffin confirmed that executions were a recurring topic in such discussions.
Griffin emphasized that despite former Vice President Mike Pence’s refusal to endorse Trump, other officials like Nikki Haley and Bill Barr have either endorsed him or indicated they might vote for him in 2024. She attributed this to the allure of power, noting that even though these individuals witnessed the dangers of Trump’s first term, they may still support him due to the potential of his return to the presidency.
Griffin criticized the hypocrisy of smart and experienced figures like Haley and Barr, who understand the risks but still consider supporting Trump. She mentioned an anecdote involving Bill Barr, who, during an Oval Office meeting, reportedly heard Trump suggest executing a staffer for leaking a story. Although Barr later downplayed the specific instance, he acknowledged that similar discussions actually happened.
Mike Pence declined to endorse Trump. But then you have people like Nikki Haley and Bill Barr who are either endorsing him or saying that they would probably vote for him, despite being very critical — and there is a difference between saying you disagree with some of policies, and saying this person is fundamentally unfit for office, but I might vote for them. How do you explain that there are people who are very smart, like Nikki Haley and Bill Barr, who watched the first Trump term from the inside, and have described it as very dangerous, but are still saying, well, we might vote for him in 2024.
It’s power. I think power is just one of the most enticing things that we have in society. Kaitlan Collins, to her credit, interviewed Bill Barr and asked about an anecdote that I had shared about a meeting he and I were both in the Oval Office, where Trump straight up said a staffer who leaked a story should be executed. And Bill Barr kind of danced it and said I don’t recall that specific instance, but there were others where we talked about executing people. How do you rationalize that is a person fit in sound judgment to be president of the United States?
They’re reading the tea leaves. They know there’s a very real chance he’s going to be president again. And there’s not a lot of glory or victory in being right, but being on the wrong side of Trump, I think that’s ultimately what it comes down to.
I really wanted to root for Nikki Haley. I think it was pathetic that she turned around and endorsed him. I think she knows better. I wish that there were more people out there, but I do think it’s notable, I mentioned Pence, but every living former standard bearer for the GOP, so everyone who’s been on a GOP presidential ticket, with the exception of Sarah Palin, is not backing Donald Trump — Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Dan Quayle, presumably George Bush, Mike Pence, everyone that we entrusted who had risen to the level of seriousness that they could see themselves in the Oval, says oh no, this guy should not be in the Oval.
