Trump privately floated firing Sessions this month: report
Trump privately floated firing Sessions this month: report
http://thehill.com/sites/default/fil...?itok=wDi7ar1H
08/28/18 07:13 PM EDT
President Trump reportedly floated the possibility of firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions to White House aides this month, reigniting speculation over Sessions' future in the Trump administration.
Three administration sources told The Washington Post on Tuesday that Trump has raised the issue again within the past month amid his growing tensions with his attorney general.
The discussion, which the president reportedly had with aides and members of his legal team, ended with his attorneys again convincing Trump to hold off on firing Sessions until the special counsel investigation headed by Robert Mueller is completed.
Some senators, however, suggested to the Post that Trump will axe Sessions sooner rather than later, possibly following the November midterms.
“Nothing lasts forever,” said Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby (R), who added that Trump and Sessions share "a toxic relationship."
“We wish the best for him, but as any administration would show, Cabinet members seldom last the entire administration, and this is clearly not an exception,” Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt (R) said, according to the newspaper.
Trump's reported discussion followed a tweet on Aug. 1 directly mentioning Sessions and urging the attorney general to shutter the ongoing special counsel investigation. Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was found guilty on eight counts last week, while Trump's longtime attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to other charges.
“This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further,” Trump wrote in early August on Twitter. “Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!”
Sessions responded to that tweet and other comments made by the president in a rare statement, pledging the Justice Department's neutrality on political matters.
“While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations. I demand the highest standards, and where they are not met, I take action,” he said.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...ons-this-month