Former President Donald J. Trump attended the memorial service for his sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, a respected federal judge, without speaking during the ceremony. The service, held at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in Manhattan, was closed to the public, with strict security measures in place.
Trump, along with his wife Melania and other family members, arrived for the private service where Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan greeted them. Trump posted a brief tribute on his social media platform, Truth Social, before the service, expressing his love for Maryanne and offering blessings.
Maryanne Trump Barry passed away at the age of 86, and her son, David William Desmond, was the sole person, aside from clergy, to deliver a eulogy during the service. Desmond praised his mother’s resilience in a male-dominated profession but did not mention former President Trump in his remarks.
Judge Barry, known for refraining from publicly criticizing her famous brother, was recorded making critical remarks about him in interviews with her niece, Mary L. Trump, which were later shared with The Washington Post. In the recordings, she described Donald Trump as having “no principles” and criticized his behavior at their father’s funeral.
Despite Trump’s deep admiration for Judge Barry, expressed in a tribute posted on Truth Social, he did not play a speaking role in the service. Other attendees included Trump’s sons Donald J. Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, his daughter Ivanka Trump, and her husband Jared Kushner.
The absence of any mention of the former president during the service appeared to align with Judge Barry’s wishes, as suggested by Douglas Purcell, the cantor at St. Ignatius Loyola. Purcell noted that judges are careful with their words and speculated on how the lack of mention might have been directed.
The memorial service showcased Judge Barry’s conversion to Catholicism as an adult, and the hymns chosen for the ceremony were reflective of her beliefs. The report also highlighted that the former president, facing 91 felony counts in four cases, remains the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
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