But, Jeff Sessions is the man tapped by Trump as Attorney General you say? Why yes, yes he is. Why is the President so publicly berating and disparaging a hand-picked member of his own cabinet? I haven’t a clue, but it’s making for some entertaining news, like the time you stopped to watch that train-wreck unfold, because you just couldn’t look away.
The Associated Press reports on some of the public criticism:
President Donald Trump has spoken with advisers about firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions, as he continues to rage against Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from all matters related to the Russia investigation.
The president’s anger again bubbled into public view Monday as he referred to Sessions in a tweet as “beleaguered.” Privately, Trump has speculated aloud to allies in recent days about the potential consequences of firing Sessions, according to three people who have recently spoken to the president. They demanded anonymity to discuss private conversations.
Trump often talks about making staff changes without following through, so those who have spoken with the president cautioned that a change may not be imminent or happen at all. What is clear is that Trump remains furious that the attorney general recused himself from the investigations.
“So why aren’t the Committees and investigators, and of course our beleaguered A.G., looking into Crooked Hillarys crimes & Russia relations?” Trump tweeted Monday. His tweet came just hours before his son-in-law, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, traveled to Capitol Hill to be interviewed about his meetings with Russians.
There are several anti-Sessions tweets that Trump has put out, here is the gambit from the past couple days:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/888726438265966592
Well, I don’t know, maybe you should ask your Attorney General why he’s not investigating her instead of asking twitter.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/889467610332528641
Once again, maybe send Sessions a memo. In private.
As if the first two weren’t enough, the tone gets progressively stronger:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/889790429398528000
Then he even goes after the the acting FBI Director, Andrew McCabe:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/889792764363276288
But no worries, it’ll be all good tonight:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/889824817473605632
You know how things go, you tweet about your big rally one minute, then attack someone publicly who you personally appointed the next minute, just business as usual.
Of course, the White House spokeswoman was forced to answer some questions on just what the heck is going on between Sessions and Trump:
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Trump’s “disappointment” with Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia probe is not going away any time soon.
The president is “frustrated and disappointed” in Sessions for recusing from the investigation after his meetings as senator with the Russian ambassador came under scrutiny, the newly appointed press secretary said on “Fox & Friends.”
Trump vented his exasperation with his long-time supporter on Twitter Tuesday morning, saying Sessions has taken a “weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes.”
“That frustration certainly hasn’t gone away and I don’t think it will,” Sanders stated.
Yes, clearly the “frustration” hasn’t gone away, it’s simply been channeled to the the President’s twitter account which seems like a completely reasonable way for high-level government officials to hash out their issues.
It’s obvious he wants something, but hoping that Sessions and McCabe resign because of angry tweets? This makes no sense. I suspect he’s tweeting like this to rally his base against Sessions and McCabe. That’ll be touchy since Jeff Sessions, as a former Senator from Alabama, is hailed as a strong conservative voice in the administration, beloved by most of the people who make up Trump’s base, especially the immigration hawks. Firing Sessions could backfire hard. Maybe Trump is trying to get McCabe to jump ship so he can send Bob Mueller with him? Who knows.
Give this another news cycle and we’ll see where things stand.
