Wikimedia Commons Jesse Barrett and Amy Coney Barrett.
Jesse Barrett, a former federal prosecutor in Indiana who often handled gun cases, is the husband of federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who is President Donald Trump’s nominee to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the United States Supreme Court.
Together, the Barretts are raising seven children, including two who were born in Haiti and a special needs child. They have been married for more than 18 years. Trump mentioned that Jesse Barrett and their children were at his press conference nominating Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court.
At only 48-years-old in fall 2020, Barrett is relatively young. The Washington Times has reported that Barrett was considered a front runner for the nomination last time, but she didn’t get that nod. She’s widely expected to be Trump’s likely pick to replace Ginsburg. You can read her Judiciary Committee questionnaire from when she was first nominated to the federal bench by Donald Trump here. She was confirmed in 2017.
“They came to us five years apart when they were very young,” Barrett said during her nomination press conference of the two children born in Haiti. As for the special needs child, her youngest son, Barrett said, “His brothers and sisters unreservedly identify him as their favorite sibling.”
“Our children make our life very full,” said Barrett during her nomination press conference, describing herself as a car pool driver, room parent, and birthday party driver, in addition to a federal judge. She described her children as her “greatest joy” but admitted they deprive her of sleep.
GettyUS First Lady Melania Trump (L) sits with Jesse Barret (2nd L), husband of US Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett and their children, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC on September 26, 2020.
Amy Barrett also praised her husband, Jesse Barrett, saying that, “At the start of our marriage I imagined we would run our marriage as partners” but adding that Jesse ended up doing “more than his share of the work,” and their children consider him the better cook. She said that he asks her “every single morning” what he can do for her that day and even when she says nothing, he still finds ways “to take things off my plate” despite the fact he has a busy law practice.
She described him as a “superb and generous husband” and said they are co-principals of the Barrett e-learning academy.
Here’s what you need to know about Barrett’s husband, Jesse Barrett:
1. Jesse Barrett & Amy Coney Barrett Are Devout Catholics Who Have Seven Children Together
During her confirmation hearing to the federal bench, Amy Barrett spoke at length about her family. She said she was accompanied to the hearing by her husband and their three oldest daughters of seven children. She then named and described each child.
“Emma is 16. The first apple of our eye,” Barrett told the Judiciary Committee. “Vivian, directly next to Emma, is 13. Vivian is our miracle. Vivian joined our family… She was born in Haiti. She came home when she was 14-months-old, and she weighed 11 pounds and she was so weak we were told she might never walk normally or speak. Today Vivian is a track star, and I assure you she has no trouble talking. Tess, sitting next to Vivian, is also 13-years-old. Both in 8th grade. She’s one of the most compassionate and determined people that I know.”
The kids ages in fall 2020 were as follows: Emma (19), Vivian (16), Tess (16), John Peter (13), Liam (11), Juliet (9), and Benjamin (8). One of the children has Down Syndrome.
Three of Amy Barrett’s children with her husband Jesse (far right).
During the confirmation hearing, Barrett also revealed that she and her husband are raising a special needs child and that they also have a second child who was born in Haiti.
“Our four children at home are with friends and fearless babysitters. John Peter is 10. He was born in Haiti. He joined our family in 2010 when he was three years old after the devastating earthquake,” she said.
“Liam is 8. Typically curious 8-year-old. And Juliet is our spunky 6-year-old. Benjamin, our youngest, is five. He has special needs. That presents unique challenges for all of us. But I think all you need to know about Benjamin’s place in the family is summed up by the fact the other children unreservedly identify him as their favorite sibling.”