Trump, advisers reportedly contemplating replacing Sessions
President Trump has publicly rebuked Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and privately, he's been talking with advisers about the possibility of replacing him, people familiar with the discussions told The Washington Post on Monday.
They are contemplating several different scenarios, including what to do if he were to resign or be fired, the Post reports. Trump has been very vocal about his frustration with Sessions, telling The New York Times that had he known that Sessions was going to recuse himself in March from the investigation into the Trump campaign possibly working with Russian officials before the 2016 presidential election, he would never have picked him as his attorney general.
Some Trump associates say the president is gunning to replace Sessions so he can fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who took over the Russia probe after Sessions recused himself. Mueller was appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Trump could either order Rosenstein, and then Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand, to fire Mueller, or he could select an attorney general during August recess, University of Texas School of Law Prof. Steve Vladeck told the Post. That person would serve until early January, the end of the next Senate session, Vladeck said, and would have the same authority as a person confirmed by the Senate. Two names that have come up during discussions on replacing Sessions are Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who on Monday scoffed at the idea.
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.
In happier times, Trump and Sessions wore matching "Make America Great Again" hats and bonded over their hardline immigration stances, but now, their fellow Republicans are recommending they go to couples therapy — new White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci told CNN on Monday that Trump and Sessions need to "sit down face-to-face and have a reconciliation and a discussion of the future."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
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
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
'Unthinkable tragedy'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Passenger: 'pleasingly off-kilter' ITV crime drama
The Week Recommends There's 'plenty to be feared' in this British murder mystery set in a quiet northern town
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: March 27, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Trump gets $289M break, first criminal trial date
Speed Read The former president's fraud bond has been reduced to $175 million from $464 million
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US-Israel rift widens after UN cease-fire resolution
Speed Read The U.S. declined to veto a U.N. resolution calling for a two-week "immediate cease-fire" in Gaza
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New Jersey first lady exits race to replace Menendez
Speed Read Tammy Murphy dropping out paves the way for Rep. Andy Kim to become the state's next senator
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia blames Ukraine for deadly ISIS Moscow attack
Speed Read Putin has ignored the Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the concert hall shooting
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump-RNC pact puts Trump legal bills ahead of GOP
Speed Read The former president has struck a deal with the Republican National Committee to put donations toward his legal bills
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Vietnam president resigns amid scandal
Speed Read Vietnam loses its second president in two years as Vo Van Thuong steps down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas migrant law in limbo after Supreme Court OK
Speed Read The law has been blocked again, mere hours after the Supreme Court allowed the state to arrest migrants
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Cubans rally for 'power and food' in rare protests
Speed Read The protests came after 18-hour rolling blackouts and food supply shortages
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published