Washington (CNN) Among President Donald Trump's litany of grievances and grudges, few ache with as much passion as his hatred of his own attorney general.

Over the past year and a half, and as recently as the last several weeks, Trump has broached the idea of firing Jeff Sessions several times, according to multiple sources familiar with the conversations. Each time his aides and advisers have staved off his impulse, arguing to the President that such a move could damage him politically and present further problems with special counsel Robert Mueller.

Trump has responded by insisting has the "absolute right" to fire Sessions if he pleases, those familiar with the conversations said. But he's taken his team's advice until now because he believes his attempts to discredit Mueller are working and accepts the argument that dismissing his attorney general could cloud that effort.

Despite his repeated public criticism, Trump has told people he is wary of crossing a line with Mueller by firing Sessions.

The loathing, which was never private, continued this week as Sessions sought to defend himself against Trump's insults. In the span of a day, Trump accused the attorney general he appointed of failing to assume full control of the agency he leads, executing acts of severe disloyalty and allowing injustice to prevail. At one point, he even seemed to question his manhood.

Read More