Trump continues attacks on Sessions, calling him 'very weak'
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump resumed his attacks on Attorney-General Jeff Sessions yesterday, calling his former ally "very weak" in pursuing intelligence leaks and for failing to go after former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over e-mails.
Mr Trump's latest Twitter salvo followed a report in The Washington Post that he and his advisers have discussed replacing Mr Sessions, one of the billionaire's earliest supporters.
"Attorney-General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are e-mails & DNC server) & intel leakers! (sic)" Mr Trump tweeted.
He has criticised Mr Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing a federal probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to meddle in last year's presidential election.
With pressure mounting from the probe led by former Federal Bureau of Investigation director Robert Mueller, Mr Trump sought to revive a controversy over Mrs Clinton's use of a private server to send e-mails while she was the secretary of state.
US presidents normally go to great pains to avoid being seen as influencing ongoing investigations, making Mr Trump's attacks on Mr Sessions all the more unusual.
He has expressed increasing anger with Mr Sessions as the Justice Department's investigations into the possible collusion quickened.
Last week, he publicly scolded Mr Sessions for stepping back from issues related to the probe.
Mr Sessions had recused himself because of his role on Mr Trump's campaign and because he failed to tell the Senate during his confirmation hearings about contacts he had with the Russian Ambassador in Washington.
Mr Trump said he would never have hired Mr Sessions had he known he would recuse himself.
Website Axios said Mr Trump was considering replacing Mr Sessions with another supporter, Mr Rudy Giuliani, a former New York mayor.
But Mr Giuliani dismissed the report, and said Mr Sessions was right to have recused himself from the Russia probe, CNN reported. - AFP
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