President Trump remains disappointed in Attorney General Jeff Sessions but wants him to stay in the administration and work on key issues, incoming press secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday.
“He’s obviously disappointed, but also wants the attorney general to continue to focus on the things that the attorney general does,” Sanders told reporters at the White House.
Sanders said she did not believe Trump and Sessions have spoken over the past week.
Trump has spent the past week publicly venting his frustration with Sessions’ decision in March to recuse himself from the Russia investigation. That decision paved the way for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to appoint Robert Mueller as special counsel.
“You can be disappointed in someone and want them to continue in their job,” Sanders said, referring to Trump’s dissatisfaction with Sessions. “If there comes a point he doesn’t, he’ll make that decision.”
Sanders said the president wants Sessions to keep working on “immigration, leaks and a number of other issues” at the Justice Department.
Sessions was seen leaving the White House on Wednesday, but Sanders said the attorney general did not meet with Trump.
“The attorney general was here for other meetings not with the president,” she said, adding that Sessions “did not see the president while he was here.”
