Barr: DOJ should appeal ruling granting Trump's special master request

Former Attorney General Bill Barr said Tuesday the Department of Justice should appeal the ruling that granted former President Trump's request for a special master in the review of classified documents retrieved from his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Why it matters: The decision, handed down by Trump-appointed District Judge Aileen Cannon, puts a temporary stop to the DOJ's review of the material and could hinder the agency's ability to pursue its investigation.

For the record: A special master is usually a third party, such as a retired judge, who reviews the documents and determines whether it is protected by attorney-client privilege or other legal doctrines.

What he's saying: "The opinion, I think, was wrong, and I think the government should appeal it," Barr, who served in the Trump administration, told Fox News.

• "It's deeply flawed in a number of ways. I don't think the appointment of a special master is going to hold up, but even if it does, I don't see it fundamentally changing the trajectory."
• "I think the fundamental dynamics of the case are set," he added. "The government has very strong evidence of what it really needs to determine whether charges are appropriate."

Worth noting: Barr previously called Trump's request for a special master a "waste of time" and a "red herring."

• That prompted Trump to rail against Barr on social media, saying he had "no guts."

Go deeper: Classified papers at Mar-a-Lago "likely concealed and removed," DOJ says