Tipsheet

Trump, Jeff Sessions Spar on Twitter Over Alabama Senate Race

On Sunday, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who is currently running for his old Senate seat in Alabama, had a back and forth with President Trump on Twitter. Sessions left the Senate to become U.S. attorney general in 2017. Sessions is now running for his old Senate seat after being ousted by President Trump in 2018. 

The exchange began after President Trump retweeted Tommy Tuberville, Sessions' Republican primary opponent. The president added his own thoughts on who Alabamians should support in the July 14 runoff election.

President Trump has been critical of Sessions ever since the former attorney general recused himself from the Justice Department's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Trump has blamed Sessions for not informing Trump of his recusal ahead of time. Trump said he would have chosen a different attorney general had he known Sessions would recuse himself from the investigation. 

Sessions responded to Trump on Twitter, defending his decision to rescue himself and his relationship with Alabamian voters. Sessions served in the Senate from 1997-2017. 

Trump responded by doubling down on his criticism of Sessions and encouraging the candidate to drop out. 

As of this writing, Sessions has not responded to the president's latest tweets. 

The winner of Alabama's July 14 race will face incumbent Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in November.