Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday downplayed the verbal lashings President Trump has directed at him, by saying the president “speaks his mind.”
“The president speaks his mind,” Mr. Sessions said at a press conference to announce 15 indictments aimed at a Mexican drug cartel. “He says whats on his mind at the time and he’s been frustrated about my recusal and other matters, but we have been so pleased and honored to be given the responsibility to execute his agenda at the Department of Justice.”
Mr. Sessions’ remarks come as the president stepped up his rhetoric against the attorney general.
In a “60 Minutes” television interview Sunday, Mr. Trump said he was “disappointed” with Mr. Sessions decision to recuse himself from special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.
Two days later, the president on Twitter revived his frequent complaint about the Justice Department’s continuing to employ Bruce Ohr, a department official, whose wife, Nellie, worked at the company that compiled a salacious anti-Trump dossier. Mr. Trump ended the Tweet by asking, “where is Jeff Sessions?”
Despite the criticism, Mr. Trump told “60 Minutes” that Mr. Sessions may keep his job past the November midterms. When interview Lesley Stahl asked if she could “assume he’s gone,” the president replied “No. No. You can’t assume that.”
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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