Jeff Sessions is having a hard time remembering the Trump campaign's links to Russia


Over the past year, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has struggled to recall the specifics of his interactions with Russian agents during the 2016 election. In June, for example, Sessions said it was "possible" he had spoken with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at the Mayflower Hotel in April 2016 — but if it had happened, he couldn't "recall" it. A photo released later clearly placed the pair together at the hotel.
On Thursday, Sessions proved once again that he was befuddled by what may or may not have happened during the Trump campaign:
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's indictment of former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos earlier this week alleged that Papadopoulos attempted to set up a meeting between the Republican candidate and Russian President Vladimir Putin. As CNN points out, "an Instagram picture on Trump's account shows Sessions attended the meeting at which Papadopoulos made the suggestion." Trump didn't shoot down the idea, but Sessions allegedly did, a person in the room told CNN.
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.
"This new revelation is significant because Sessions told Congress under oath in June that he had 'no knowledge' of any conversations by anyone connected to the Trump campaign about 'any type of interference with any campaign' by Russians," NBC News reports. A Senate aide told CNN that Sessions could even be required to testify again in order to clarify what happened.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asserted Thursday that "Jeff Sessions concealed his meetings with the Russians and he had an obligation to be more forthcoming about meetings that involved Papadopoulos."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
June 29 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include the AI genie, Iran saving face, and bad language bombs
-
A tall ship adventure in the Mediterranean
The Week Recommends Sailing aboard this schooner and exploring Portugal, Spain and Monaco is a 'magical' experience
-
How drone warfare works
The Explainer From Ukraine to Iran, it has become clear that unmanned aircraft are rapidly revolutionising modern warfare
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders
-
Mamdani upsets Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary
Speed Read Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat out Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from