As Donald Trump continues to dominate the news, many of his supporters aren’t aware of something very interesting about the Presidential candidate. His oldest sister is a senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Maryanne Trump Barry was nominated as a Federal District Judge by President Reagan in 1983. Bill Clinton then appointed her to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 1999.

Trump called his sister for advice after Megyn Kelly painted him as misogynist at the first Republican primary presidential debate. He said his sister was supportive. The New York Times reports that Trump said he and his sister hold similar views and she has given him advice on how to behave during his campaign.

“She called me to say she’s very proud,” Mr. Trump said. “She said, ‘Just be yourself.’ Of course, I don’t know if that’s good advice, but she said, ‘Just be yourself and you do well, really well.’ ”

He added that Ms. Barry had a view of gender equality not unlike his own. “My sister has a very unique view on this, and — not so unique,” he said. “She feels that women are very smart and can be very tough and can be at least equal to men, and that women can fight very hard.”

“I have a sister who just doesn’t want to talk to reporters. Can you believe it?” Mr. Trump said, explaining that he had called his sister and suggested that she speak with an inquiring reporter. “I said: ‘Maybe they mixed us at birth. Maybe one of us got mixed up a little bit. Who knows.’ ”

Barry is known as a strong and well respected judge but she says that she learned at an early age that she couldn’t compete with her younger brother.

[via The Political Insider]