Over the past week, President Trump has made it quite clear that he’s grown disenchanted with Attorney General Jeff Sessions. First, Trump told the New York Times that he wouldn’t have hired Sessions if he knew Sessions would recuse himself from the Russia investigation. Then, someone leaked a story that suggested Sessions perjured himself when he denied discussing campaign-related matters with the Russian ambassador. On Monday, Trump tweeted that his “beleaguered” attorney general should be investigating Hillary Clinton and excluded Sessions from his weird trip to the Boy Scout Jamboree, even though Sessions is an Eagle Scout.
But it appears Sessions may be sticking around for a while — and not just because in real life Trump hates firing people. Trump suggested to the Times that he’s dissatisfied with Sessions solely because he wanted an attorney general who would manage the Russia investigation for him. It seems he wants to replace Sessions as part of his strategy to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, and no one is eager to participate in the Second Saturday Night Massacre.
On Monday morning, the White House floated the idea of Rudy Giuliani as attorney general, but Trump’s longtime friend wanted nothing to do with the Russia mess. Hours later, Giuliani said there was no truth to reports that he was under consideration and stated that Sessions, in recusing himself, “made the right decision under the rules of the Justice Department.”
Apparently Trump’s short list for the position was indeed very short. By Monday evening, the White House was floating Trump’s frenemy Ted Cruz as the next attorney general via a report in the Washington Post. The senator quickly shot down the idea of Lyin’ Attorney General Ted Cruz:
Trump does have another ally with strong legal credentials — and as a bonus, the president has never accused his dad of killing JFK. But before the White House could even launch a Chris Christie test balloon, Politico squashed the rumors:
Some potential choices, like Rudy Giuliani and Chris Christie, once were keen on the job but have grown concerned about working in this administration, people close to them say. And the Senate would have to confirm any replacement pick.
Things are so bad that being the historically unpopular governor of New Jersey is preferable to being a key figure in a historic constitutional crisis.
