Attorney General Jeff Sessions is "hurt" by how the president has been treating him since his decision to recuse himself from the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, he told Fox News's Tucker Carlson in an interview set to air Thursday night.
Trump was incensed by Sessions's recusal, telling The New York Times that had Sessions told him of his plans, he never would have hired him to head the Justice Department. He has since tweeted that Sessions is "beleaguered" and is not doing an aggressive enough job of cracking down on White House leaks, nor bringing Hillary Clinton to justice for her alleged crimes.
In light of the criticism, the media is wondering whether Trump is ready to fire his attorney general.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has admitted that President Trump's criticism over his recusal from the Russia investigation has been "kind of hurtful," but insists he will continue in the job.
"The President of the United States is a strong leader," Sessions told Fox News' Tucker Carlson in El Salvador. "He has had a lot of criticisms and he’s steadfastly determined to get his job done, and he wants all of us to do our jobs and that’s what I intend to do."
Should Trump fire Sessions, top Republicans have told him there will be "hell to pay." As for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), he informed the president that confirmation hearings for a new attorney general are not going to fit in their schedule this year.
Tucker's full interview with Sessions will air on Fox News Thursday at 8 p.m.
