Trump flashes anger over Sessions recusal, Russia stories in tense Oval Office meeting
Before heading off to his so-called “winter White House” in Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday, President Donald Trump summoned some of his senior staff to the Oval Office and went “ballistic,” senior White House sources told ABC News.
The president erupted with anger over the latest slew of news reports connecting Russia with the new administration — specifically the abrupt decision by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign.
Sources said the president felt Sessions’ recusal was unnecessary and only served to embolden Trump’s political opponents. The attorney general made his announcement Thursday just as Trump returned to Washington from a trip to the U.S.S. Gerald Ford in Virginia for a speech about his agenda as president.
Hours earlier, aboard the ship, the president had told reporters that he had “total” confidence in Sessions and saw no reason why the attorney general should recuse himself.
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Among those gathered in the Oval Office on Friday: Chief of staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, White House Counsel Don McGahn, press secretary Sean Spicer, newly-hired Communications Director Mike Dubke, along with Trump son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump, the sources said.
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Priebus and Bannon were planning to join the trip, but suddenly after the president’s eruption those plans changed. One source said both men volunteered to stay behind in Washington, with another source saying the president seemed to concur that they should. Sidelining key staffers with whom he was angry was an occasional Trump tactic during the campaign.
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Pres Trump went "ballistic" at senior staff yesterday – upset over the Sessions recusal. Left Bannon & Priebus in DC https://t.co/jwCVQO8yiE
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) March 4, 2017
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