Attorney General Barr announced he would leave office on December 23, and praised President Trump's achievements over the past four years.

"A good meeting with Attorney General Bill Barr at the White House has just happened. We have a very good relationship, you have done a great job! Bill will be leaving the administration before Christmas to be with his family."

"Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen, an outstanding person, will be acting Attorney General. Venerable Richard Donoghue will take over the deputy minister. Thank you all," Trump added.

Sources familiar with the matter said Trump had mentioned the possibility of firing Barr, arguing that the Attorney General had prevented an attempt to make a federal investigation public against Hunter Biden, son of Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

Barr's statement about the Justice Department's failure to find evidence of widespread election fraud could have angered Trump.

Barr, 70, was nominated by Trump to replace pre-minister Jeff Sessions in December 2018, after the president was dissatisfied with Sessions's withdrawal from a Russian investigation into US election interference.