House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday deflected questions about how he would react to President Trump firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions, even as other Republicans in the House and Senate were fuming over Trump’s effort to undermine Sessions on Twitter.
Several Republican lawmakers told reporters and said over Twitter that it seemed Trump was headed toward firing Sessions, and perhaps Robert Mueller, who is conducting an investigation into Russia’s possible collusion with the Trump campaign.
“It certainly would not be well received on Capitol Hill by both Republicans and Democrats as well,” Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J., told reporters as he left an early morning GOP meeting in the Capitol basement.
But Ryan, R-Wis., refused to add his name to the growing list of lawmakers questioning Trump’s attack on his top law enforcement officer.
“He determines who is hired and fired in the executive branch,” Ryan, R-Wis., said Tuesday of Trump after meeting with Republicans privately to discuss the agenda. “That is his prerogative. If he has concerns or questions about the attorney general, I’m sure he’ll bring them up with him.”
Ryan’s statement loosely echoed a tweet earlier Tuesday by Rep Adam Kinzinger, who sent a message to Trump after Trump tweeted Sessions “has taken a VERY weak position” against allegations involving Hillary Clinton.
“Mr. President, maybe just try a meeting?” Kinzinger tweeted. “This is beneath the office — of any held office — from city councilman to POTUS.”
Lance said he was among the first lawmakers to call on Sessions to recuse himself from the Russia probe, a move that is now at the heart of Trump’s discontent.
Republicans are now sending a message to Trump that they would not support the firing of Sessions, a staunch conservative who served for two decades among them as a senator representing Alabama.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., sent out a series of tweets aimed at Trump on Tuesday morning warning Trump to back off Sessions.
Prosecutorial decisions should be based on applying facts to the law without hint of political motivation,” Graham tweeted. “President Trump’s tweet today suggesting Attorney General Sessions pursue prosecution of a former political rival is highly inappropriate.”
The anger comes at a pivotal moment in the Senate as Republicans desperately try to round up 50 votes to advance a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, a top campaign promise by both the president and the GOP.
