Former Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that President Trump’s criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions has weakened the Justice Department.
Speaking on CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time,” Mr. Holder, who served under former President Obama, said he could not have withstood the attacks Mr. Trump has leveled at his attorney general.
“I think by taking what he has taken, he not only weakens himself as attorney general, it has an effect on the institution,” Mr. Holder said. “At some point you have to say to the president, ’No.’ You’ve got to respond to the president.”
Mr. Trump has repeated blasted Mr. Sessions for his decision to recuse himself form overseeing the special counsel’s investigation into possible Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. In an interview last month, Mr. Trump said he is “disappointed” with Mr. Sessions, adding “I have no attorney general.”
“I’ve never seen a president talk to an attorney general in the way that this president has spoken to his attorney general,” Mr. Holder said. “But I think you have to respond in extraordinary ways, always thinking about you’re going to protect the institution.”
In the interview, Mr. Holder said that his Mr. Sessions’ recusal was “the appropriate thing to do.”
“I think he clearly did the right thing,” he said.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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