For Trump, loyalty is a one-way street

There have been reports about Trump supposedly seething over the decision by Sessions to recuse himself from the Russia election meddling investigation. In an interview with the New York Times, Trump confirmed those reports by saying he’d never have asked Sessions to be his attorney general if he’d known he’d recuse himself.

It’s a complaint that doesn’t make much sense. Trump nominated Sessions on Nov. 18. The Senate confirmed Sessions on Feb. 8. Sessions recused himself on March 2. There doesn’t seem to be any evidence to suggest Sessions knew four months ahead of time he’d recuse himself.

Several days later in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump stepped up his criticism saying, “I am very disappointed in Jeff Sessions.” Trump also suggested Sessions only endorsed him to take advantage of appearing before large crowds of people at Trump rallies.

The final straw came when Trump, using his favorite method of communication, bashed Sessions via Twitter:

If you’re keeping score at this point, there are two reasons Trump is upset with Sessions:

1. Sessions acted ethically, recusing himself from an investigation where he had an apparent conflict of interest;

2. Sessions hasn’t launched an investigation into Trump’s political opponent even though the investigation Trump wants into Hillary Clinton took place already.

It’s odd considering Sessions is working aggressively to deal with one of Trump’s cornerstone campaign promises: cracking down on illegal immigration. Sessions seeks a greater role for the Justice Department in addressing illegal immigration, reiterated a commitment to increase criminal prosecutions of illegal immigrants, and just made it official that if cities do not allow ICE agents into local prisons and jails to gather up illegal immigrants, they’ll lose federal funding.

Trump couldn’t ask for a better attorney general to take on the issue of illegal immigration. The Russia investigation haunts Trump. He believes it is nothing more than a “witch hunt,” and he’s reached the conclusion Sessions recusal was an act of betrayal.

Trump’s mindset originates from a place where he fails to comprehend how government works, particularly in the executive branch. Trump sees anybody who works in the executive branch as an employee. Trump believes fealty to him comes before anything else and it’s this mindset that set off the chain of events resulting in the termination of James Comey. It is a mindset that has Trump considering ordering the dismissal of special counsel Robert Mueller, and brought him to place where he’s attempting to bully and harass his attorney general into resigning.

Cabinet members do serve at the pleasure of the president, but their duty is to the Constitution and the country above all. They are there to implement the vision the president has for the country, but they are not his lackeys, wholly devoted to him before country.

The president surrounded himself with some smart, capable people who wanted to serve the country by helping to implement an agenda for which they agree with the president. If Trump is merely going to chastise them and bully them publicly when they do something not in what he sees as his best interests but in the best interests of the country and the Constitution, who will want to work for him when current cabinet members step down?

Loyalty goes both ways. It’s a lesson Trump must learn and fast.

Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. He is the assistant managing editor at RedState, as well as a contributor to National Review and The Atlantic.

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