Trump publicly lashes out at Attorney General Jeff Sessions

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published 28 February 2018

President Trump criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a tweet Wednesday morning, calling Sessions' handling of alleged surveillance abuses "disgraceful." Trump specifically referred to Sessions' decision Tuesday to tap the Justice Department's inspector general to investigate claims by some lawmakers that officials at the Justice Department and FBI have abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in order to improperly surveil members of Trump's campaign staff.

Trump's ire stems from allegations by Republicans on Capitol Hill that the FBI unlawfully surveilled Carter Page, a foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign. The White House had initially signaled contentment with Sessions' decision, The Washington Post noted, with White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders telling reporters Tuesday, "I would imagine [Trump] certainly supports the decision to look into what we feel to be some wrongdoing."

But Trump apparently soured on the decision overnight, leading to Wednesday's tweet. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) defended Sessions on Wednesday, calling Trump's attacks "off-base" and "undeserved."