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White House won't stand behind Jeff Sessions, who reportedly suggested he could resign
| New York Daily News | - |
The
White House did not stand up for U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on
Tuesday amid reports that tensions with President Trump led the
nation's top prosecutor to suggest he could resign.
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White House won’t stand behind Jeff Sessions, who reportedly suggested he could resign
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Press Secretary Sean Spicer offered no reassurances when asked about the alleged rift during his daily briefing, repeatedly saying “I have not had a discussion with (Trump) about that."
The opaque answers came amid questions about the relationship between Sessions and Trump, after a New York Times report on Monday said the President was losing faith in the former Alabama senator, one of his earliest campaign supporters.
According to the Times, Trump turned sour on Sessions months ago after the attorney general recused himself from the criminal investigation into the Trump campaign's possible ties to the Russian government.
Senators had asked Comey to investigate Sessions' Russia talks
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
(Win McNamee/Getty Images)Trump apparently believes that Sessions’ recusal set the stage for Special Counsel Robert Mueller to ultimately take over the criminal probe.
The investigation fell into Mueller’s hands after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May, and the head of the Justice Department was already unable to take Comey’s place.
Relations between Trump and the Justice Department head has become especially tense ahead of Comey's planned testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, and sparked Sessions to say he could resign, ABC reported Tuesday evening.
Loretta Lynch vs. Jeff Sessions: A study in recusals
The report cited sources saying that Trump had repeatedly "lashed out" at the former senator in private meetings.
Trump on Monday also fired off tweets blasting Sessions’ Justice Department for its handling of the court battles over Trump’s travel bans.
President Trump apparently believes that Sessions’ recusal set the stage for Special Counsel Robert Mueller to ultimately take over the criminal probe.
(NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)The messages were unusual not just because the President was criticizing his own Justice Department, but also because Trump, not Sessions, has the final say over how the executive orders are presented.
Capitol Hill was left baffled by Trump's attacks on the department.
"I don't believe Trump colluded with the Russians because I don't think he colludes with his own staff," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) quipped Tuesday.
With CHRISTOPHER BRENNAN
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