Hill.TV INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE: Trump eviscerates Sessions: ‘I don’t have an attorney general’

By John Solomon and Buck Sexton


President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump and Biden's plans would both add to the debt, analysis finds Trump says he will back specific relief measures hours after halting talks Trump lashes out at FDA over vaccine guidelines MORE in an Oval Office interview with Hill.TV launched one of his most ferocious broadsides to date against Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsWatchdog finds top DOJ officials were 'driving force' behind Trump's child separation policy: NYT Roy Moore sues Alabama over COVID-19 restrictions GOP set to release controversial Biden report MORE, suggesting the attorney general was essentially AWOL and performing badly on a variety of issues.

“I don’t have an attorney general. It’s very sad,” Trump told Hill.TV in an extensive and freewheeling interview Tuesday from the Oval Office.

The president has long excoriated Sessions for his March 2017 decision to recuse himself from the Russia collusion investigation. But on Tuesday he suggested he is frustrated by Sessions's performance on far more than that.

“I’m not happy at the border, I’m not happy with numerous things, not just this,” he said.

Trump suggested he had a personal blind spot when it came to nominating Sessions as the nation’s top law enforcement officer.

“I’m so sad over Jeff Sessions because he came to me. He was the first senator that endorsed me. And he wanted to be attorney general, and I didn’t see it,” he said.

“And then he went through the nominating process and he did very poorly. I mean, he was mixed up and confused, and people that worked with him for, you know, a long time in the Senate were not nice to him, but he was giving very confusing answers. Answers that should have been easily answered. And that was a rough time for him.”

Sessions recused himself under pressure from congressional Democrats and after some Republicans said he should not take part in overseeing the Russian investigation at Justice. During his confirmation hearings, he failed to mention two meetings with Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak.

In announcing his recusal, Sessions said that he had consulted with Justice Department officials over the decision and that he had not meant to mislead members of the Senate over the meetings.

Deputy Attorney General Rod RosensteinRod RosensteinWatchdog finds top DOJ officials were 'driving force' behind Trump's child separation policy: NYT Judiciary Committee postpones hearing with McCabe on Russia probe Mueller in rare statement pushes back on top aide's criticism of investigation MORE became the lead Justice official on the Russia investigation because of the Sessions recusal. Rosenstein also appointed special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE after Trump fired FBI Director James ComeyJames Brien Comey'Comey Rule' exposes entertainment reporting's blinding partisanship Judiciary Committee postpones hearing with McCabe on Russia probe McCabe will not appear at Senate hearing, citing coronavirus concerns MORE in May 2017.

The president suggested Sessions's experience going through the nominating process in the Senate may have impacted his performance as attorney general.

“He gets in and probably because of the experience that he had going through the nominating when somebody asked him the first question about Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonChance the Rapper, Demi Lovato to play digital concert to encourage voting New York Times editorial board endorses Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump resumes maskless COVID-19 recovery at White House MORE or something he said ‘I recuse myself, I recuse myself,’" Trump said.

“And now it turned out he didn’t have to recuse himself. Actually, the FBI reported shortly thereafter any reason for him to recuse himself. And it’s very sad what happened.”

The FBI in an early 2017 email to a Sessions aide, made public last December, concluded that Sessions did not need to reveal contacts with foreign government officials that were made in the course of his work as a senator.

“I recused myself not because of any asserted wrongdoing on my part during the campaign,” Sessions told the Senate Intelligence Committee last April. “But because a Department of Justice regulation, 28 CFR 45.2, required it.”

Trump’s broader criticisms of Sessions may be a surprise to some lawmakers and other observers given the attorney general’s efforts to impose tougher policies on immigration. Sessions has been credited in conservative quarters for his handling of policy issues even as he has been lambasted by some on the right over the Russian probe.

At the same time, speculation that Trump could decide to fire Sessions has been growing.

Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamWarner calls for Facebook, Twitter and Google to safeguard against election disinformation Pence wants no plexiglass at upcoming VP debate 21 GOP lieutenant governors sign letter backing Barrett confirmation MORE (R-S.C.), who speaks frequently with Trump, in August said the president deserved to have an attorney general he had faith in.

“The president's entitled to having an attorney general he has faith in, somebody that is qualified for the job, and I think there will come a time sooner rather than later where it will be time to have a new face and a fresh voice at the Department of Justice. Clearly, Attorney General Sessions doesn't have the confidence of the president,” Graham said.

Trump demurred on whether he might one day fire the attorney general.

“We’ll see what happens. A lot of people have asked me to do that. And I guess I study history, and I say I just want to leave things alone, but it was very unfair what he did,” he said, referring to the recusal decision.

“And my worst enemies, I mean, people that, you know, are on the other side of me in a lot of ways, including politically, have said that was a very unfair thing he did.”

He concluded: "We’ll see how it goes with Jeff. I’m very disappointed in Jeff. Very disappointed."