Cowardly Trump hides behind attacks on Jeff Sessions instead of just firing him

With his presidency, and his family, mired in mounting scandals about collusion with Russia, Trump is seeking someone — anyone — to blame. And lately, that someone is Sessions.

Trump’s latest missive against the attorney general came Tuesday morning, in the middle of a long and incoherent Twitter tantrum about everything from “HealthCare” to a suggestion that his 11-year-old son Barron might be the next subject of the Russia investigation.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2017

It’s the second day in a row that Trump has attacked Sessions for failing to use his position to persecute Hillary Clinton for supposed “crimes” that were already investigated, and dismissed, by the FBI.

So why aren't the Committees and investigators, and of course our beleaguered A.G., looking into Crooked Hillarys crimes & Russia relations?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2017

During the campaign, Trump repeatedly vowed to use the presidency to investigate, prosecute, and even jail Clinton. Many of Trump’s loudest supporters, including Sessions, seemed perfectly fine with the idea that Trump would use the government to target and harass his political opponent. Sessions never batted an eye when the crowds at Trump rallies would chant “Lock her up!”

But that hasn’t happened. And instead of using his position as attorney general to help Trump cover up his campaign’s collusion with Russia, Sessions was forced to recuse himself from the investigation — something that has obviously been a great source of frustration for Trump as the investigation becomes ever more damning for him and his family.

It was clear from Trump’s interview with The New York Times that he was unhappy with Sessions, saying that it was “unfair to the president” for Sessions to refuse to assist in the apparent coverup. By all accounts, Trump wants Sessions gone, likely so he can appoint an even more loyal attorney general who would bring an end to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

Trump’s new communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, confirmed that fact to right-wing radio host Hugh Hewitt:

"You're probably right" @Scaramucci tells me re my reading of @realDonaldTrump Tweets that @POTUS wants AG Sessions to resign.

— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) July 25, 2017

It’s odd, to say the least, that a man who built a reality TV career on the catchphrase “You’re fired!” is unwilling to fire the attorney general he obviously wants gone. After all, Trump had no problem firing former FBI Director James Comey, who also refused to shut down the investigation into the Trump team’s collusion with Russia. Why is Trump reluctant to kick Sessions to the curb?

Maybe it’s because he just enjoys kicking Sessions on Twitter instead. New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman reports that she asked two people close to Trump why “he is tormenting Sessions instead of firing him.” The answer? Because he can.

It is sick and disturbed that Trump is publicly humiliating Sessions for the transgression of what Trump perceives as insufficient loyalty and complicity. It is also shockingly unpresidential.

But for some reason, Trump is unwilling to give Sessions the old “You’re fired!”

Maybe it’s because he’s afraid of the backlash that would inevitably ensue. Maybe it’s because he’s afraid Sessions has the goods on Trump and his campaign and would have no reason not to share some of the dirtier secrets if Trump fired him.

Or maybe it’s because Trump is just a typical bombastic bully — full of talk but too cowardly to take action.