Donald Trump has said that he only hired Jeff Sessions for his loyalty during his presidential campaign, as he continued to publicly air his grievances with the attorney general.

The US president lambasted Mr Sessions for his role in the Justice Department insisting he “never took control” of the department.

Mr Trump further criticised Mr Sessions for recusing himself from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation on whether Russia meddled in the US 2016 presidential election – a move Mr Trump has repeatedly slammed.

“Jeff Sessions recused himself, which he shouldn’t have done,” said Mr Trump in an interview with Fox News host Ainsley Earhardt. “Or he should’ve told me. Even my enemies say that ‘Jeff Sessions should’ve told you that he was going to recuse himself'.”

He added: “What kind of man is this?”

Mr Trump continued his attacks on Mr Sessions, charging that it was the attorney general’s loyalty that got him the job at the Justice Department.

“And by the way he was on the campaign, you know the only reason I gave him the job is because I felt loyalty – he was an original supporter,” he said. “He was on the campaign, he knows there was no collusion.”

Local elections 2018 – in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Local elections 2018 – in pictures Local elections 2018 – in pictures Jeremy Corbyn outside a polling station in Islington Rex Local elections 2018 – in pictures Theresa May and her husband Philip arrive at a polling station to vote in local elections in central London AFP/Getty Local elections 2018 – in pictures Boris Johnson leaves after voting in London Reuters Local elections 2018 – in pictures Liberal Democrats leader Vince Cable with his wife Rachel at Twickenham polling station Rex Local elections 2018 – in pictures A man enters a polling station as voting begins in local government elections in London Reuters Local elections 2018 – in pictures A man fixes a sign to the door of a polling station as voting begins in local government elections in London Reuters Local elections 2018 – in pictures A poll clerk hangs a polling station sign outside the Victoria and Jubilee Halls in Hartley Wintney, Hampshire, some 45 miles west of London AFP/Getty Local elections 2018 – in pictures Voters at The Vyne polling station in Knaphill, part of the Woking borough, which is one of five councils working with the Cabinet Office to trial the use of ID in polling stations PA

When asked during the interview if he plans to fire Mr Sessions and Rod Rosenstein, the US deputy attorney general overseeing Mr Mueller’s investigation in the Russia investigation, Mr Trump did not explicitly say yes or no.