Donald Trump calls on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to end ‘witch hunt’

The President’s wild tweet storm has shocked Washington, as he called on his Attorney General to end the Russia probe.

President Trump has called on his attorney general to end the Russia probe. Picture: AP

Donald Trump has launched his most fierce attack yet on the Russia investigation, calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to end the probe “right now” before it continues to “stain our country”.

In a wild tweet storm today, the president also called the prosecution of his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort “a hoax” saying Mr Manafort was being treated worse that the mobster Alfonse “Al” Capone.

“This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further,” Mr Trump tweeted. “(Special Counsel) Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!”

The tweet caused shock in Washington as people speculated whether the president was ordering Mr Sessions to sack special counsel Robert Mueller - a move which could send the country into a political and constitutional crisis.

“The president of the United States just called on his attorney general to put an end to an investigation in which the president, his family and campaign may be implicated,” said Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. “This is an attempt to obstruct justice hiding in plain sight. America must never accept it.”

..This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018

Russian Collusion with the Trump Campaign, one of the most successful in history, is a TOTAL HOAX. The Democrats paid for the phony and discredited Dossier which was, along with Comey, McCabe, Strzok and his lover, the lovely Lisa Page, used to begin the Witch Hunt. Disgraceful!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018

Paul Manafort worked for Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole and many other highly prominent and respected political leaders. He worked for me for a very short time. Why didn’t government tell me that he was under investigation. These old charges have nothing to do with Collusion - a Hoax!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018

But the White House immediately played down Mr Trump’s tweet, saying it represented the opinion of the president rather than a direct order to Mr Sessions.

“Its not an order, its the president’s opinion,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said.

“The president is not obstructing, he’s fighting back,” she said. “The president has stated his opinion, he’s stating it clearly. He is certainly expressing the frustration he has with the level of corruption that we’ve seen from people like James Comey, Peter Strzok, Andrew McCabe.”

“There’s a reason the president is angry and frankly, most of America is angry as well and there is no reason he shouldn’t be able to voice that opinion.”

Trump lawyer Rudolph Giuliani said; ““I think it’s very well-established the president uses tweets to express his opinion. He very carefully used the word ‘should.’ ”

The president’s anger at Mr Mueller’s sprawling Russia investigation has spiked this week with the start of the trial against his former campaign chairman Mr Manafort on tax and bank fraud charges.

Mr Manafort is the first person to be tried by prosecutors for Mr Mueller, whose investigation Mr Trump has repeatedly called a fraud and a witch hunt.

“Paul Manafort worked for Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole and many other highly prominent and respected political leaders. He worked for me for a very short time. Why didn’t government tell me that he was under investigation. These old charges have nothing to do with Collusion - a Hoax!,” Mr Trump tweeted.

He later made a comparison between the treatment of Manafort and the mobster Al Copone.

Looking back on history, who was treated worse, Alfonse Capone, legendary mob boss, killer and “Public Enemy Number One,” or Paul Manafort, political operative & Reagan/Dole darling, now serving solitary confinement - although convicted of nothing? Where is the Russian Collusion?’

Mr Trump repeated his claim that Russian collusion with the Trump campaign - which Mr Mueller is investigating - was a ‘total hoax.

The president has called on the Russian investigation to be wrapped up, saying it has dragged on too long.

However Mr Mueller’s team have yet to strike a deal with the White House on a key aspect of the probe - an interview with Mr Trump.

Despite Mr Trump’s call on Mr Sessions to end Mr Mueller’s probe, Mr Sessions has no power to do so because he recused himself last year from oversight of the Russia investigation.

The person who could sack Mr Mueller is Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

Mr Trump has been fiercely critical of Mr Sessions’ decision to recuse himself and also highly critical of Mr Rosenstein who appointed Mr Mueller in the wake of the president’s sacking of former FBI chief James Comey.

Mr Mueller is examining whether the president obstructed justice in his attacks on Mr Sessions, who as head of the Justice Department and the FBI is supposed to show independence from the president. Mr Mueller is also examining whether Mr Trump obstructed justice in his dealings with, and subsequent sacking of, Mr Comey.

In addition, the Muller probe is examining the extent of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign team and Moscow.

Mr Trump has reluctantly agreed with the conclusions of US intelligence which says Russia actively intervened in the 2016 campaign.

Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia