When William Barr sat down for his first major media interview after being confirmed as President Donald Trump’s attorney general, he was asked whether he was concerned about his reputation. After all, his predecessor was repeatedly attacked by Trump for perceived disloyalty, and other senior officials quickly tried to distance themselves from the administration once they left, often through unceremonious firings.

But Barr wasn’t concerned. “Everyone dies,” he said. “I don’t believe in the Homeric idea that you know, immortality comes by, you know, having odes sung about you over the centuries, you know?”