'Thin-Skinned' Donald Trump's Relationship With Late Sister Maryanne 'Cooled' After She Criticized His Presidency

Donald Trump's bond with his late sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, was strained in the years leading up to her death.

Sources revealed the tensions between them arose after Maryanne was privately recorded calling her brother "cruel" while talking with her niece, Mary.

"All he wants to do is appeal to his base. He has no principles. None. None. And his base, I mean my God, if you were a religious person, you want to help people. Not do this," Maryanne reportedly said in the audio clip. "His god------ tweets and lying, oh my god ... The change of stories. The lack of preparation. The lying. Holy s---."

A source close to the Trump family claimed that after "thin-skinned Donald" heard the things she'd said about him, "he got bent out of shape and they cooled the relationship."

"The Trumps have always been a close family and a lot of this was kept quiet and not discussed publicly," the source added. "They didn’t hate each other, so it was sad."

"Before that they had talked quite a bit over the years, as he admired and trusted her on many legal and business issues," the source explained of Donald and Maryanne's relationship. "He was proud of where she went in her career and boasted about it, often taking some credit for her success."

As OK! previously reported, the retired judge, who served on the U.S. Court of Appeals until 2019, was found dead in her New York home early Monday morning, November 13. She died at 86 years old.

Although the embattled former president did not immediately post a tribute to his late sister, the next day, he praised her as a "truly beautiful woman" in a messaged penned to Truth Social.

"She was also a tremendous student, intellect, and Judge, in charge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, just below the U.S. Supreme Court," he wrote. "I will never forget the many times people would come up to me and say, 'Your sister was the smartest person on the Court. I was always honored by that, but understood exactly what they meant — They were right!"

"She was a great Judge, and a great sister. She will be truly missed!" he concluded.

Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!

The sources spoke with People about Donald and Maryanne's relationship.