New sanctions on Russia, as Trump renews attack on Attorney General

World Today

President Donald Trump speaks about the healthcare vote during a joint news conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

U.S. President Donald Trump has again rebuked the U.S. chief lawyer, saying that only ‘time will tell’ on the future of Jeff Sessions. Trump has criticized his Attorney General in recent days, over the investigation into alleged Russian influence on the presidential election.

CGTN’s Owen Fairclough reports.

After twice publicly criticizing Attorney General Jeff Sessions in recent days, did President Donald Trump still have confidence in him?

“I am disappointed in the Attorney General,” said Trump at a news conference Tuesday after meeting Lebanon’s prime minister in Washington. “He should not have recused himself almost immediately after he took office. And if he was going to recuse himself he should’ve told me prior to taking office. And I would’ve quite simply picked somebody else.”

When asked about the future of Sessions, Trump replied: “We shall have to see what happens. Time will tell. Time will tell.”

Sessions recused himself over a potential conflict of interest stemming from an investigation into allegations Trump’s campaign colluded with Russian officials to rig last year’s presidential election in his favor.

U.S. lawmakers who are conducting their own inquiries are increasingly focused on a key meeting between senior campaign members and a Russian lawyer apparently offering information to smear Trump’s election opponent Hillary Clinton.

They’ve twice questioned Trump’s son-in-law and are due to interview his eldest son—both of whom were present at that meeting.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said his country didn’t hack the U.S. election. Trump insists his team didn’t collude with Russia.

And the issues with Russia don’t stop here for the president, who came into the office seeking closer ties with the country. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to limit President Trump’s ability to lift sanctions on Russia—sanctions that were placed on Moscow three years ago, for its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.