Jeff Sessions hits back at Trump criticism
US attorney general defends his position in the wake of ongoing Trump attacks

US attorney general Jeff Sessions has issued a striking rebuke to Donald Trump, after the US president attacked the justice department during a Fox News interview yesterday.
The Guardian reports that Trump “reprised a litany of complaints about the justice department and the FBI, attacking both without providing evidence they had treated him and his supporters unfairly”, in the wake of Michael Cohen’s guilty plea and Paul Manafort’s conviction earlier this week.
During the interview, Trump accused Sessions of losing control of the justice department, and blamed him for what he called “corruption” within the department over special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“I took control of the department of justice the day I was sworn in,” Sessions said. "While I am attorney general, the actions of the department of justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations.”
The rebuke from Sessions comes amid growing reports that Sessions will be fired by Trump following the mid-term elections in November.
Politico reports that Republicans have warned Trump not to remove Sessions from his role because “they would not confirm a successor”.
However prominent Republican Lindsey Graham appeared to back down from that stance yesterday, “appearing almost to encourage Trump to send Sessions packing”, Politco says.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How to create a healthy 'germier' home
Under The Radar Exposure to a broad range of microbes can enhance our immune system, especially during childhood
-
George Floyd: Did Black Lives Matter fail?
Feature The momentum for change fades as the Black Lives Matter Plaza is scrubbed clean
-
National debt: Why Congress no longer cares
Feature Rising interest rates, tariffs and Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill could sent the national debt soaring
-
'We need solutions that prioritize both safety and sustainability'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
A running list of all the celebrities Trump has pardoned
IN DEPTH Reality stars, rappers and disgraced politicians have received some of the high-profile pardons doled out by the president
-
'The pattern is similar across America'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain
-
What's next for Elon Musk?
Today's Big Question The world's richest man has become 'disillusioned' with politics – but returning to his tech empire presents its own challenges
-
Trump's super-charged pardon push raises eyebrows and concerns
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Never shy about using his pardon ability for political leverage, Trump's spate of amnesty announcements suggests the White House is taking things to a new level
-
Elon Musk departs Trump administration
speed read The former DOGE head says he is ending his government work to spend more time on his companies