New Report Reveals Who Trump Is Firing Next And How It Will Obstruct Russia Probe

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The president has never been one to prove open to the influences of outsiders. He charts his own path and if you’re opposed to that path and in his orbit, you had better get out of the way before he makes you get out of the way. That’s the lesson that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson learned this week the hard way when he was abruptly fired.

According to reporter Gabriel Sherman, the president has been feeling only more emboldened lately to carry out his wishes, and that includes through such means as pushing out anyone around him who he doesn’t like for whatever reason.

One of those whose position may be on the chopping block is Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Considering the fact that past reporting about the president’s distaste with his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson proved to be prescient, with the former oil executive losing his job after barely a year, present reporting about who might be next to go shouldn’t be dismissed.

Trump’s consideration of the possibility of firing Sessions is particularly troublesome considering the fact that via replacing him, the president could exert some control over the course of the Russia investigation, an aim he’s pursued in the past in the face of allegations of obstruction of justice.

Much to Trump’s chagrin, Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation last year after it came out that he himself could be considered a possible subject of the investigation because of having met secretly with the Russian Ambassador to the United States.

In the aftermath of his recusal, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein eventually appointed Robert Mueller to oversee the Russia investigation, ensuring that what has proven to be a thorn in the Trump administration’s side would have life.

Were Trump to appoint a new attorney general, the new top law enforcement officer in the country would have personal authority over the Russia investigation and could choose to shut it down.

Sherman, writing in Vanity Fair, reports that the president has considered replacing Sessions with current EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

Sherman writes:

‘According to two Republicans in regular contact with the White House, there have been talks that Trump could replace Sessions with E.P.A. Administrator Scott Pruitt, who would not be recused from overseeing the Russia probe. Also, as an agency head and former state attorney general, Pruitt would presumably have a good shot at passing a Senate confirmation hearing.’

Pruitt would no doubt face tough questions about what he plans to do about the Russia investigation during his confirmation process, but it’s hardly a given that those questions would derail his potential confirmation. One thing that could derail his confirmation and that of any other Trump Cabinet nominee is if Democrats manage to take control of the Senate come the midterm elections later this year; besides holding onto all of their own seats, Democrats need to pick up at least two more seats to become the majority party.

Other individuals whose positions may be on the chopping block include National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, along with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.

Trump has reportedly interviewed the incendiary John Bolton in view of potentially taking him on at the White House; he reportedly doesn’t want a job unless it’s that of the president’s national security adviser or secretary of state, and the latter position already has someone nominated for it following Tillerson’s departure.

Featured Image via Joshua Roberts/ Bloomberg via Getty Images