Maryanne Trump Barry, a former federal judge and older sister of Donald J. Trump, who played roles of both protector and critic throughout their lives, has passed away at the age of 86.
She died at her residence on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, according to three sources familiar with the situation. Two of them mentioned that the police were summoned to her home early Monday morning. None of the sources specified a cause of death, and all spoke anonymously. A spokesperson for Mr. Trump did not provide a comment upon request.
Judge Barry served on the federal bench in New Jersey, a position reportedly facilitated by Mr. Trump’s associate, lawyer Roy M. Cohn, during President Ronald Reagan’s administration in the 1980s. She retired in 2019 amidst a court inquiry triggered by an investigation by The New York Times into the tax practices of the Trump family.
According to confidants, Mr. Trump valued his sister’s opinions more than those of many others. However, their relationship faced a significant rift in the last year of his presidency when their niece, Mary L. Trump, released recordings of her aunt criticizing the president, as part of the promotion for her memoir about their family.
