Reports: Kelly Told Sessions His Job Is Safe Despite Trump’s Public Anger

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly appears before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to advance President Donald Trump’s border security agenda, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 5, 2017. Kelly says a wall in the right places, will do that job, however, that wall won't be from "sea to shining sea," but in places where border agents say it would be most effective. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) — Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly appears before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to advance President Donald Trump's border security agenda, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesd... Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly appears before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to advance President Donald Trump's border security agenda, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 5, 2017. Kelly says a wall in the right places, will do that job, however, that wall won't be from "sea to shining sea," but in places where border agents say it would be most effective. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS

August 3, 2017 7:23 a.m.

Start your day with TPM.

New White House Chief of Staff John Kelly assured Attorney General Jeff Sessions over the weekend that his position in the Trump administration is safe despite the recent public humiliation campaign that President Donald Trump has launched against Sessions, according to reports from the Associated Press and Politico.

The Associated Press was first to report that Kelly gave assurances to Sessions, citing unnamed sources familiar with the conversation. Politico then confirmed that Kelly told Sessions his job was safe, citing unnamed Trump administration officials.

Kelly told Sessions that Trump is still angry with him, but said that the frustration would not lead to his firing, according to the Associated Press.

The assurances from the new chief of staff follow an intense couple weeks of Trump publicly attacking his own attorney general. Trump has blasted Sessions as “weak” and “bealeaguered,” criticizing him for not investigating Hillary Clinton. Trump even told the New York Times that he would not have appointed Sessions as attorney general if he’d known he would recuse himself from the Russia probe.

Throughout Trump’s public attacks, Sessions has reportedly not been in communication with the President. Sessions said last week that while Trump’s comments are “hurtful,” he has no plans to resign.

Start your day with TPM.

Caitlin Mac Neal (@caitlinmacneal) is TPM's special projects editor, based in Washington, D.C. She first came to TPM as a newswriter, and has written for HuffPost, the Sunlight Foundation and Slate.

Have a tip? Send it Here!