President Trump is on the attack, as he looks to shut down the investigation into his alleged ties with Russia.
The President has turned on Attorney General Jeff Sessions, saying he had "taken a VERY weak position" on investigating his former opponent in the 2016 presidential election, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, over her use of a private email server.
Earlier, Trump had called his attorney general "beleaguered".
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
Trump is angry that Sessions recused himself from the federal investigation into possible collusion between Trump's election campaign team and Russia.
The Kremlin says it did not interfere in the election, and Trump has denied any collusion.
Sessions' recusal means he has no oversight of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose wide-ranging investigation has focused on Trump aides and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
US correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking the pair used to be extremely close, but now Mr Trump wants Sessions to go.
"Trump is furious with him now, blaming him for the fact that a special prosecutor is on his case. When the Trump-Russia scandal started, Sessions sat on the sidelines saying he couldn't be part of it because he was involved in the presidential campaign."
LISTEN ABOVE AS RICHARD ARNOLD SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING
Two people close to Sessions said the attorney general, who was the first Republican senator to back Trump's presidential campaign, has been deeply offended by the public berating from his boss, but his resolve to stay is strong.
The public attacks by a president on a member of his own cabinet and one-time close political ally have stunned many in Washington.
"In an administration where a lot of unexpected things have happened, this may be the most unexpected. This has risen to a level that we have never seen before," said Douglas Heye, a former top aide to former Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
Republican MPs sprang to Sessions' defence on Tuesday, and the top Democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, accused Trump of trying to "bully his own attorney general out of office."
Trump's public criticism of Sessions began in earnest in an interview with the New York Times last week in which he said that he would not have hired him had he known he would recuse himself from the Russia investigation.
He followed that with the critical tweets, and close aides, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders and newly installed White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci have gone on television to reinforce Trump's frustration with Sessions.
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