Tensions have flared so much between President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions that Sessions reportedly suggested that he should resign.
The stressed relationship seems to stem from Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from anything related to the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election and possible ties to the Trump campaign, ABC News reports. Sessions recused himself from the Russia inquiry after it was disclosed that he had contacts with the Russian U.S. ambassador during the election.
Sessions’ recusal is one of Trump’s “top disappointments,” according to ABC News, and he has remained “fixated” on it.
The news of a rift between Trump and the attorney general comes just before former FBI Director James Comey will testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday.
Sessions’ recusal and Comey’s surprising ouster from the FBI came amid a growing probe into the extent of Russia’s meddling into the 2016 election and ties between Trump’s campaign and the Russian government.
Trump has “lashed out” at Sessions for recusing himself, ABC News reports, as he believes the recusal has allowed for the investigation to grow and subsequently become the purview of newly appointed Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
The Justice Department declined to comment for ABC News’ article.
On Monday, the New York Times reported that Trump had begun blaming Sessions for the mounting troubles his administration has faced on a near-daily basis since he assumed office earlier this year.
