President Trump remains confident in Attorney General Jeff Sessions even though he’s disappointed that Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation, White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders said on Thursday.
“Clearly he has confidence in him, or he would not be attorney general,” Sanders said of Trump’s view of Sessions.
One day earlier, Trump told the New York Times that he was frustrated by Sessions’ recusal earlier this year from any investigation that touches on the president’s campaign, for which Sessions served as a high-level surrogate.
Trump also suggested to the Times that the special counsel, who was appointed in the wake of Sessions’ recusal, would cross a symbolic line if he probed the Trump family’s finances.
Sanders defended the comment by arguing special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation should “stay within the confines of Russian meddling in the election.”
“The president’s been clear, many times before, that he has no financial dealings” in Russia, Sanders added.
The White House spokeswoman said Trump and Sessions have not spoken in the last 24 hours.
“As he said, he was disappointed that the attorney general made the decision to recuse himself and certainly that he didn’t tell him that before taking the job,” Sanders said.
