President Trump, still upset with Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Department of Justice's Russia investigation, has been talking with his close advisers about possibly replacing Sessions through a recess appointment next month if Sessions resigns, four people briefed on the discussions told The Washington Post Wednesday.
Trump has been raging at Sessions in interviews, on Twitter, and at White House events, and some advisers say he wants Sessions to resign rather than be fired, setting up a clear need for a replacement. Trump has been watching several news programs that have discussed a recess appointment, the Post reports, and that's how the seed was planted. Because Trump often changes his mind on things throughout the day, and also floats ideas and hypothetical situations, some advisers told the Post they think he's not really contemplating making a recess appointment, and is only venting about his frustration with Sessions.
Replacing Sessions could be the first step in getting Robert Mueller, the special counsel overseeing the Justice Department's Russia investigation, fired, but several of Trump's closest advisers, including chief strategist Stephen Bannon and chief of staff Reince Priebus, have warned Trump that if he ordered Mueller to be let go, it would be a "catastrophe," the Post reports. For his part, Sessions has made no moves to hint that he will be stepping down.