President Trump says Sessions was 'probably' honest about his Russia contacts
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
President Trump insisted Thursday he has "total confidence" in Attorney General Jeff Sessions amid revelations Sessions spoke twice with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 presidential campaign. Sessions, when asked during his Senate confirmation hearing about contact between President Trump's campaign and Russia, said under oath he "did not have communications with the Russians." Sessions sometimes served as a campaign surrogate for Trump.
Sessions has defended his response in light of recent reports, noting he met with Kislyak in his capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and not on Trump's behalf. Trump on Thursday said he thinks Sessions "probably" testified truthfully about his contact with Russia. When asked if Sessions should have to rescuse himself from investigations of the Trump administration's ties to Russia, Trump said, "I don't think so."
Democrats and Republicans alike, including House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), have called for Sessions to recuse himself.
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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Trump wants a weaker dollar but economists aren’t so sureTalking Points A weaker dollar can make imports more expensive but also boost gold
-
Political cartoons for February 3Cartoons Tuesday’s political cartoons include empty seats, the worst of the worst of bunnies, and more
-
Trump’s Kennedy Center closure plan draws ireSpeed Read Trump said he will close the center for two years for ‘renovations’
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’