The exchanges capped an extraordinary 24 hours of tensions between the president and the Attorney General.
“It’s a sort of incredible thing,” Trump said in a pre-recorded interview that aired Thursday morning on Fox News. "You know the only reason I gave him the job? Because I felt loyalty. He was an original supporter.”
>> Trump talks Cohen, Manafort in Fox News interview
“I put in an attorney general that never took control of the Justice Department.” -President @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/ARTg1JbeK2
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) August 23, 2018
Sessions disputed Trump’s claim in a statement later Thursday, saying he “took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in."
“While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations,” he said.
DOJ just released the following statement from AG Jeff Sessions: "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." pic.twitter.com/o0KcZaIGee
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) August 23, 2018
Friday morning Trump went on Twitter and directed his remarks at Sessions: "Jeff, this is GREAT, what everyone wants, so look into all of the corruption on the 'other side' including deleted Emails, Comey lies & leaks, Mueller conflicts, McCabe, Strzok, Page, (and) Ohr."
Trump continued in another tweet, "Open up the papers and documents without redaction? Come on Jeff, you can do it, the country is waiting!"
“Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations.” Jeff, this is GREAT, what everyone wants, so look into all of the corruption on the “other side” including deleted Emails, Comey lies & leaks, Mueller conflicts, McCabe, Strzok, Page, Ohr......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018
....FISA abuse, Christopher Steele & his phony and corrupt Dossier, the Clinton Foundation, illegal surveillance of Trump Campaign, Russian collusion by Dems - and so much more. Open up the papers & documents without redaction? Come on Jeff, you can do it, the country is waiting!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018
Trump has criticized his attorney general several times since Sessions took office in February 2017. Reports suggest the president has considered dismissing him several times due to his frustration over Sessions’ decision to recuse himself in the Russian election meddling probe.
Trump has frequently railed against the probe, which is headed by former FBI Director Robert Mueller, claiming it is little more than a “witch hunt” sparked by Democrats frustrated by his win over his rival in the 2016 race for the White House, Hillary Clinton.
Trump has denied allegations that he or his campaign officials worked with Russia to sway the election in his favor. The investigation is ongoing.
Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was found guilty Tuesday on bank and tax fraud charges stemming from the Mueller probe, although the case didn’t touch on questions of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election or its possible ties to Trump campaign officials.
On the same day that jurors came back with a verdict for Manafort, Trump’s former longtime attorney, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to charges including a campaign finance violation related to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal, who claimed they had affairs with Trump years before he was elected to office. Trump has denied the allegations.
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