Trump's standoff with Attorney General Jeff Sessions shows no signs of thawing
WASHINGTON – Firing off a tweet attacking Jeff Sessions is becoming as much a regular part of President Trump's day as his national security briefing. Yet the standoff between the chief executive and his attorney general shows no signs of abating anytime soon.
Trump, who slammed Sessions on Twitter for a third straight day on Wednesday, remains "disappointed" in Sessions' decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, his spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said, but wants him to focus on running the Justice Department.
"You can be disappointed in someone but still want them to continue doing their job," she said.
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As the president holds off on firing Sessions, the attorney general he recently described as "beleaguered" shows no signs of quitting on his own.
On Wednesday, despite Trump’s continued barrage, Sessions was continuing to push Trump's agenda, monitoring the work of the Justice Department's Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety. The advisory panel, spawned from a presidential executive order, was formed to help drive down violent crime that has spiked in a number of cities across the country.
"[I] look forward to taking additional steps towards ensuring safer communities for all Americans," he said.
Sessions was at the White House on Wednesday for meetings, but did not see Trump.
Just hours earlier, Trump sent a tweet slamming Sessions for not replacing Andrew McCabe, the acting FBI director who took over the bureau after Trump abruptly fired James Comey in May.
"Why didn't A.G. Sessions replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation but got big dollars ($700,000) for his wife's political run from Hillary Clinton and her representatives. Drain the Swamp!" Trump said in a pair of morning tweets.
McCabe's wife ran for the Virginia State Senate and received political contributions from governor and Clinton supporter Terry McAuliffe.
However, it was Trump who allowed McCabe to run the bureau temporarily after he fired Comey – a move that triggered obstruction of justice allegations against the president and increased tensions with Sessions.
At the White House, Sanders declined to answer questions about why, if Trump is truly upset with McCabe at the FBI, the president wouldn't fire him personally. Sanders pointed to his nomination of Chris Wray to be FBI director, whose nomination is pending in the Senate.
While Sessions could recommend McCabe's firing, Trump has the authority to fire him – raising questions about whether the president is serious about his concerns or just continuing to find reasons to isolate his attorney general. On Tuesday, Trump attacked Sessions for failing to investigate former political opponent Hillary Clinton, which would in itself raise a whole host of ethical issues.
Aides said Trump blames Sessions's decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation to the eventual appointment ex-FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel.
Mueller and multiple congressional committees are investigating possible links between Trump campaign associates and Russians who sought to influence last year's election by hacking Democrats close to Clinton.
Lawmakers and political analysts have said that Trump's stepped up criticism of Sessions may mean he's seeking to find a new attorney general to replace him – without conflicts of interest – who could retake control of the Justice Department's Russia investigation.
Comey said he believes Trump fired him because he declined the president's suggestion that he drop parts of the Russia investigation.
As Trump and Sessions maintain their standoff, an increasing number of Republicans have been rallying behind the former Alabama senator.
Sessions supporters range from former House Speaker (and Trump surrogate) Newt Gingrich to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley of Iowa.
"I think the attorney general is doing a fine job, and I think he made the right decision to recuse himself from the Russia matter," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters late Tuesday.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., took to Twitter to decry Trump's methods.
"I would fire somebody I did not believe could serve me well," he said, "rather than trying to humiliate them in public – which is a sign of weakness."
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