Former CIA Director John Brennan John Owen BrennanJournalism or partisanship? The media's mistakes of 2016 continue in 2020 Comey on Clinton tweet: 'I regret only being involved in the 2016 election' Ex-CIA Director Brennan questioned for 8 hours in Durham review of Russia probe MORE on Wednesday urged members of Congress to denounce what he called President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE’s “blatant effort to obstruct justice.”

Brennan’s comment, made via tweet, came in response to Trump’s tweet saying that Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsRoy Moore sues Alabama over COVID-19 restrictions GOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs MORE should shut down 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’s investigation into Russian election interference.

“Individuals of conscience who believe in rule of law should denounce this blatant effort to obstruct justice,” Brennan tweeted. “As Mr. Trump’s desperation to protect himself grows, he could turn words into actions, prompting a Constitutional crisis. Congress must warn Trump of dire consequences.”

Individuals of conscience who believe in rule of law should denounce this blatant effort to obstruct justice. As Mr. Trump’s desperation to protect himself grows, he could turn words into actions, prompting a Constitutional crisis. Congress must warn Trump of dire consequences. https://t.co/VUU9M2WcYZ — John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) August 1, 2018

The former CIA chief is a frequent and harsh critic of Trump, and has repeatedly attacked the president for his comments disparaging Mueller's Russia probe.

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Trump’s Wednesday morning tweet marked a significant escalation in his critiques of the Mueller investigation. Though he has repeatedly criticized the probe, calling it a “witch hunt,” and lambasted Sessions’s decision to recuse himself from the matter, the president has stopped short of saying publicly that Sessions should end the probe.

“Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further,” Trump tweeted. “Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!”

..This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018

Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended the president’s comment, saying that it was an “opinion,” not an order.

After Sessions decided to recuse himself, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Rod RosensteinDOJ kept investigators from completing probe of Trump ties to Russia: report Five takeaways from final Senate Intel Russia report FBI officials hid copies of Russia probe documents fearing Trump interference: book MORE was charged with overseeing the investigation. Rosenstein later appointed Mueller as special counsel.

Trump’s tweet comes one day after the trial for his former campaign chair, Paul Manafort Paul John ManafortOur Constitution is under attack by Attorney General William Barr Bannon trial date set in alleged border wall scam Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE, began. Manafort is facing a series of charges for alleged financial crimes, for which he has denied any wrongdoing.