Trump Took Sessions Resignation Letter with Him to ‘Israel’, Mueller Says

By Staff, Agencies

When US President Donald Trump first learned that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had appointed a special counsel to investigate whether his campaign had colluded with Russia, he worried it meant the end of his presidency.

“Oh my God. This is terrible,” Trump said in May 2017 to his attorney general at the time, Jeff Sessions.

According to Robert Mueller’s redacted report released Thursday, Trump lashed out at Sessions, who had recused himself from overseeing the Department of Justice’s Russia probe.

“Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency,” Trump told Sessions, according to Mueller’s report. “It takes years and years and I won’t be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me,” he said.

“You were supposed to protect me,” Sessions recalled the president saying. Trump then told Sessions he should resign.

Mueller’s description of the exchange was drawn from interviews with Sessions and his chief of staff at the time, Jody Hunt.

“How could you let this happen, Jeff?” Trump reportedly asked Sessions.

The next day, Sessions handed Trump a resignation letter. Trump put the letter in his pocket, but asked if Sessions wanted to remain attorney general, the report said. When Sessions answered in the affirmative, Trump told him he could stay in his position and shook his hand.

But he held on to the resignation letter, the report said.

Just a few days later, Trump embarked on his first international trip as president, which included stops in Saudi Arabia, the Zionist entity and the Vatican.