U.S. Department of Justice
Attorney Work Product // May Contain Material Protected Under Fed. R. Crim. P. 6(e)
and Priebus discussed the possibility that they would both have to resign rather than carry out the President's order to fire Sessions.[1]
That afternoon, the President followed up with Priebus about demanding Sessions's resignation, using words to the effect of, "Did you get it? Are you working on it?"[2] Priebus said that he believed that his job depended on whether he followed the order to remove Sessions, although the President did not directly say so.[3] Even though Priebus did not intend to carry out the President's directive, he told the President he would get Sessions to resign.[4] Later in the day, Priebus called the President and explained that it would be a calamity if Sessions resigned because Priebus expected that Rosenstein and Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand would also resign and the President would be unable to get anyone else confirmed.[5] The President agreed to hold off on demanding Sessions's resignation until after the Sunday shows the next day, to prevent the shows from focusing on the firing.[6]
By the end of that weekend, Priebus recalled that the President relented and agreed not to ask Sessions to resign.[7] Over the next several days, the President tweeted about Sessions. On the morning of Monday, July 24, 2017, the President criticized Sessions for neglecting to investigate Clinton and called him "beleaguered."[8] On July 25, the President tweeted, "Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E- mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!"[9] The following day, July 26, the President tweeted, "Why didn't A.G. Sessions replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation."[10] According to Hunt, in light of the President's frequent public attacks, Sessions prepared another resignation letter and for the rest of the year carried it with him in his pocket every time he went to the White House.[11]
- ↑ McGahn 12/14/17 302, at 11; RP_000074 (Priebus 7/22/17 Notes) ("discuss resigning together").
- ↑ Priebus 1/18/18 302, at 14; Priebus 4/3/18 302, at 4.
- ↑ Priebus 4/3/18 302, at 4.
- ↑ Priebus 1/18/18 302, at 15.
- ↑ Priebus 1/18/18 302, at 15.
- ↑ Priebus 1/18/18 302, at 15.
- ↑ Priebus 1/18/18 302, at 15.
- ↑ @realDonaldTrump 7/24/17 (8:49 a.m. ET) Tweet ("So why aren't the Committees and investigators, and of course our beleaguered A.G., looking into Crooked Hillarys crimes & Russia relations?").
- ↑ @realDonaldTrump 7/25/17 (6:12 a.m. ET) Tweet. The President sent another tweet shortly before this one asking "where is the investigation A.G." @realDonald Trump 7/25/17 (6:03 a.m. ET) Tweet.
- ↑ @realDonald Trump 7/26/17 (9:48 a.m. ET) Tweet.
- ↑ Hunt 2/1/18 302, at 24-25.
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