The 5 wildest moments from The New York Times' profile of Jeff Sessions


Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions is now Alabama's frontrunning candidate for Senate, and shared his thoughts on police reform and what's been happening in the White House since he left for a profile in The New York Times Magazine published Tuesday. Here are 5 of the article's wildest moments.
1. Favorably comparing President Trump to Egypt's Sisi: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has been accused of crimes against humanity, is a "strongman" who "promised to protect" the country's Christian minority, Sessions said when asked how Christians can support Trump. "That's basically what the Christians in the United States did. They felt they were under attack, and the strong guy promised to defend them. And he has," Session said.
2. Seemingly calling a Black professor 'criminal': Sessions attacked former President Barack Obama for having "a beer at the White House with some criminal, to listen to him." That seemed to be a reference to Henry Louis Gates Jr., a Black professor at Harvard University who was arrested trying to enter his own home, though a Sessions spokesperson declined to elaborate.
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.
3. Applauding Trump's Bible photo op: Sessions decried the religious leaders who opposed Trump for clearing out protesters to take a photo in front of St. John's Church, calling Trump "a defender of the faith" and labeling those priests "a bunch of socialist leftists."
4. Defending family separation:
In a disturbing, guttural voice, [Sessions] mocked much of the nation's reaction [to separating children and parents at the border]: 'Nooooo, this is a poor child! They just want a job!'
5. This moment, before Sessions returned to his pineapple upside-down cake:
"Nation-states are not gone, they're not out of date. America is not an idea, Paul Ryan — it’s a nation." [Sessions] began to bang his fists as he spoke, sending the silverware and ice in his peach tea aquiver. "It's a secular nation-state. It has" — another bang — “rules."
Read more at The New York Times Magazine.
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
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
5 heavy-handed cartoons about ICE and deportation
Cartoons Artists take on international students, the Supreme Court, and more
By The Week US
-
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
The Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
By The Week UK
-
Is Prince Harry owed protection?
Talking Point The Duke of Sussex claims he has been singled out for 'unjustified and inferior treatment' over decision to withdraw round-the-clock security
By The Week UK
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans