Major Garrett tells Stephen Colbert that Trump's new attorney general may be illegitimate

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/The Late Show)

published 8 November 2018

Democrats won control of the House in Tuesday's midterms in a "mild wave," Stephen Colbert said on Wednesday's Late Show, but in a press conference on Wednesday, Trump "said this was great for Republicans, and so was Trump." He played a clip of Trump naming the GOP losers who refused to "embrace" him. "I gotta say, I'm really surprised that stopped him, because he is not known for asking permission before he embraces," Colbert said. "I mean, just look what he did to that poor flag."

"Trump seemed a bit subdued throughout this morning's press conference until he saw one of his favorite chew toys, CNN's Jim Acosta," Colbert said, and he "became even more hostile when asked about his racial rhetoric." He was especially tickled when a reporter live-fact-checked Trump on his support among black voters.

CBS chief White House correspondent Major Garrett asked the second question at Trump's press conference, and he told Colbert he had a feeling Trump had already fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions when he broached the subject with the president. Garrett said of course Special Counsel Robert Mueller should be concerned by Sessions' temporary replacement, but explained that if Trump fired everyone, it would be a presidential crisis, not a constitutional crisis. "We have a Constitution to solve crises," he said.

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Garrett explained why Trump's "bombastic" press conference was bizarre for most presidents but fit well with Trump's personality, then explained that Sessions first tried to resign on the day Mueller was appointed. Interestingly, he said the legitimacy of his interim replacement, Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker, is an open question. "This is a Vacancy Act legal question — the Senate hasn't confirmed him, how can he run a Cabinet agency?" Garrett asked. "So this is not just 'Well, what is he going to do?' but 'Can he actually do this?'" Watch below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.

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