0:58
- ABC News
- August 23, 2018
Sessions hits back at Trump
The attorney general made his strongest pushback on the president.
In the statement from Sessions, the attorney general said that he \"took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in, which is why we have had unprecedented success at effectuating the President’s agenda.\"
\"While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations,\" the statement read. \"I demand the highest standards, and where they are not met, I take action.\"
Thursday's statement from Sessions was his most forceful and direct pushback against the president since March, when Trump rebuked Sessions for referring Republican accusations of government surveillance abuses to the Justice Department's inspector general, rather than having the broader Justice Department investigate the matter.
\"Why is A.G. Jeff Sessions asking the Inspector General to investigate potentially massive FISA abuse. Will take forever, has no prosecutorial power and already late with reports on Comey etc. Isn't the I.G. an Obama guy? Why not use Justice Department lawyers? DISGRACEFUL!\" Trump tweeted at the time.
In response, Sessions issued a statement saying, \"As long as I am the Attorney General, I will continue to discharge my duties with integrity and honor, and this Department will continue to do its work in a fair and impartial manner according to the law and Constitution.\"
ABC News' Alexander Mallin and Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report.
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