Trump ramps up attacks on AG
President Trump unleashed a fresh salvo of devastating haymakers at embattled Attorney General Jeff Sessions — raising questions as to whether he would fire one of his earliest supporters for being weak on the Russian probe.
During a press conference yesterday, Trump said he was “disappointed” in the nation’s top attorney for recusing himself from the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation into possible connections between the president’s campaign and Russia.
“He should not have recused himself almost immediately after he took office, and if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me prior to taking office,” he said. “I would have, quite simply, picked somebody else. So I think that’s a bad thing, not for the president but for the presidency.”
He also launched pointed attacks on Twitter against Sessions, saying that he has been soft on those purportedly leaking information to the press and on investigating Hillary Clinton.
“Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!” Trump wrote in an early morning tweet.
Trump also told the Wall Street Journal that he is “very disappointed” in Sessions but did not indicate whether or not he would fire the former Alabama U.S. senator.
He told the newspaper he is “looking” at the possibility of firing Sessions, and made no promises to cut down on the barbs he has been flinging at his attorney general.
Privately, Trump has speculated to allies in recent days about the potential consequences of firing Sessions, according to the Associated Press, citing three unnamed sources.
The ongoing criticism of Sessions drew a heated response from South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who said Republicans may not be keen on the president axing one of their former colleagues.
“Jeff Sessions is one of the most decent people I’ve ever met in my political life,” Graham said. “President Trump’s tweet today suggesting Attorney General Sessions pursue prosecution of a former political rival is highly inappropriate.”