Rep. Jim Jordan James (Jim) Daniel JordanHouse passes resolution condemning anti-Asian discrimination relating to coronavirus Republicans call for Judiciary hearing into unrest in cities run by Democrats Trump, GOP seek to rebut Democratic narrative on night one MORE (R-Ohio) sparred with MSNBC host Katy Tur on Friday over Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsTrump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status White House officials voted by show of hands on 2018 family separations: report MORE's decision to recuse himself from the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

The clash between Tur and Jordan came on the heels of a New York Times report on Thursday that Trump had instructed a lawyer to lobby Sessions not to recuse himself from the Russia investigation last year.

The exchange began when Tur asked Jordan whether he believed it is the attorney general's job to protect the president from allegations of wrongdoing, as the Times story reported Trump demanded.

Jordan insisted repeatedly that the job of the attorney general is "to do his job."

"You're a congressman, you're a lawmaker," Tur said. "Yes or no? Is it Jeff Sessions's job — is it the attorney general's job — to protect the president of the United States?"

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"It's the attorney general's job is to do his constitutional duty," Jordan said, arguing that the Justice Department had shirked its duty to provide requested documents and witness interviews to members of Congress.

Trump was reportedly furious when Sessions did, because he felt that Sessions had not worked to protect him as he felt past attorneys general had. Sessions's recusal helped lay the groundwork for the eventual appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE.

Jordan is among a number of GOP lawmakers who have ramped up criticism of the Justice Department's handling of the investigation into Russian meddling and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

In an op-ed published by the Washington Examiner on Thursday, Jordan and House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows Mark Randall MeadowsTrump won't attend UN General Assembly in person, Meadows says McConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled Overnight Health Care: Ex-Pence aide backs Biden over virus response | Trump's sharp words put CDC director on hot seat | Trump coronavirus adviser threatens to sue Stanford researchers MORE (R-N.C.) called on Sessions to step down from his post.