Former Attorney General Eric Holder Eric Himpton HolderThe Hill's Campaign Report: Trump's rally risk | Biden ramps up legal team | Biden hits Trump over climate policy Biden campaign forming 'special litigation' team ahead of possible voting battle Pompeo, Engel poised for battle in contempt proceedings MORE ripped 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 for saying that he has the "absolute right" to do what he wants with the Department of Justice, calling the comments "wrong" and "dangerous."

"Wrong/dangerous. Trump doesn’t have absolute rights with DOJ. But women and men there have ABSOLUTE duty to follow Constitution and rule of law — not a man. Career DOJ people have ABSOLUTE right to defy illegal orders. And they will. I know them," Holder wrote in a tweet on Friday.

Wrong/dangerous. Trump doesn’t have absolute rights with DOJ. But women and men there have ABSOLUTE duty to follow Constitution and rule of law - not a man. Career DOJ people have ABSOLUTE right to defy illegal orders. And they will. I know them. — Eric Holder (@EricHolder) December 29, 2017

The comments from President Obama's former attorney general come after Trump told The New York Times on Thursday that he could do what he wanted with the department after he was asked if he would reopen the probe into former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonFox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio Trump, Biden court Black business owners in final election sprint The power of incumbency: How Trump is using the Oval Office to win reelection MORE's email server during her tenure as secretary of State.

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"I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department. But for purposes of hopefully thinking I’m going to be treated fairly, I’ve stayed uninvolved with this particular matter," the president told the publication.

Trump told the newspaper it was "too bad" that his own 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, recused himself from the Russia investigation, and said he had great respect for Holder protecting Obama while he was attorney general.

“I don’t want to get into loyalty, but I will tell you that, I will say this: Holder protected President Obama. Totally protected him,” Trump said.

“When you look at the things that they did, and Holder protected the president. And I have great respect for that, I’ll be honest.”