Jeff Sessions Pushes Back Against Donald Trump After Scathing Tweets

Jeff Sessions is finding himself opposed to his former boss, President Donald Trump, in his 2020 campaign for the United States Senate. Sessions resigned from his long-held Senate seat in 2017 to become Trump’s attorney general, but he was forced to resign in 2018. While Sessions is now trying to get back his place in the Senate, Trump is endorsing his opponent, and Sessions is fighting back.

Trump posted some scathing tweets about Sessions this week as he endorsed Sessions’ opponent, Tommy Tuberville. On Friday, Trump retweeted one of Tuberville’s ad — a video attacking Sessions for recusing himself during Robert Mueller’s investigation into the Trump campaigns alleged collusion with Russia. Tuberville wrote that Sessions “threw [Trump] to the wolves,” while Trump added that Sessions “let our Country down.” He framed his complaint as if Sessions were entirely to blame for the investigation into his campaign.

Sessions responded through the same medium, tweeting directly at Trump later that evening. He posted a message with a personal tone on a public forum, writing: “Look, I know your anger, but recusal was required by law. I did my duty & you’re damn fortunate I did. It protected the rule of law & resulted in your exoneration. Your personal feelings don’t dictate who Alabama picks as their senator, the people of Alabama do.”

“Tuberville’s a coward who is rightly too afraid to debate me,” Sessions continued. “He says you’re wrong on China [and] trade. He wants to bring in even more foreign workers to take American jobs. That’s not your agenda and it’s not mine or Alabama’s. I know Alabama. Tuberville doesn’t.”

Sessions followed up again on Saturday morning, tweeting: “Mr. President, Alabama can and does trust me, as do conservatives across the country. Perhaps you’ve forgotten. They trusted me when I stepped out and put that trust on the line for you.”

Sessions and Tuberville are competing for the Republican party’s nomination for the Senate, which voters will decide in July. At that point, the winner will face off against Doug Jones, the Democratic incumbent who won the Senate seat after Sessions resigned. Jones’ win was considered a massive victory by Democrats and progressives in 2018, and proof that they could prevail in traditionally Republican states. Jones weighed in on the Twitter drama between Sessions, Tuberville and the president this weekend as well.

“While these two fight over their big mistakes, let’s make sure Alabama doesn’t make one with either Sessions or a former football coach. I could sure use your help, folks!” Jones tweeted.