WASHINGTON – President Trump has no plans to fire Jeff Sessions, his spokesperson said Thursday, even after his extraordinary attacks cast doubt on the fate of the attorney general and Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the Russia investigation.

While Trump still disagrees with Sessions' decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said, "clearly, he has confidence in him, or he would not be attorney general."

For his part, Jeff Sessions said he plans to continue serving "as long as that is appropriate." He told reporters Thursday: "We love this job. We love this department."

Trump told The New York Times Wednesday that he would not have nominated him for attorney general had he known Sessions would recuse himself from the investigation into Russia's interference in the presidential election. “He should have told me before he took the job and I would have picked somebody else,” Trump said.

The president's comments about a sitting attorney general – who was also one of his biggest supporters during the campaign – caught even senior aides by surprise, and forced some to scramble to explain them.

In the interview, Trump also criticized Mueller for having unspecified conflicts of interest. While Trump cannot technically fire the special counsel, Sanders said the president also "has no intention" to call for Mueller's removal "at this time."

As the White House insisted everything was copacetic, members of Congress and legal analysts saw it differently.

Trump "effectively asked Sessions for his resignation. Will he resign or insist on being fired?" tweeted Preet Bharara, the former New York-based U.S. Attorney removed this year by the Trump administration.

Trump himself, meanwhile, declined to respond to reporters' questions about Sessions after an event in which a group of CEOs announced plans to expand pharmaceutical glass manufacturing plants in the United States.

Sessions said in March he would remove himself from the investigation because he had meetings with Russians officials during the campaign period.

After Trump fired his FBI director, James Comey, deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller to oversee the investigation into Russian efforts to interfere in last year's election by hacking Democrats, and possible collusion between Trump associates and Russia.

Trump claimed Mueller's office has its own conflicts of interest. He did not elaborate, though Trump and aides have previously questioned the fact that Mueller's staff includes supporters of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Trump also complained that Mueller interviewed for the job of FBI director and therefore should not have accepted the post of special counsel, and that he should not be investigating anything related to the president's finances.

"I have done nothing wrong," Trump said. "A special counsel should never have been appointed in this case."

Yet Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump is trying to intimidate law enforcement officers who are involved in an investigation of him.

Mueller, Schiff added, "has authority to investigate any ties Trump family has to Russia, including financial, and anything that arises. That is his duty."

Over at the White House, Sanders repeated Trump's longstanding claims that he has no financial dealings with Russia. "This will be proven to be the witch hunt that it is," she said of the overall investigation.

Still, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said the president's comments about the special counsel investigation could amount to an obstruction of justice.

In a tweet, Blumenthal said "attempts by Trump to limit Mueller investigation, which now includes relevant financial dealings, are inappropriate & possibly illegal."

Trump cannot fire Mueller directly. Only Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who appointed Mueller, has that authority – and he said last month he sees no good reason to exercise it.

Yet the interview renewed questions about whether Trump wants Sessions to quit – and a new attorney general to do something about Mueller.

Matthew Miller, a former spokesman for President Obama's Justice Department, noted that Trump stepped up his attacks after recent revelations that Mueller's office is now investigating Donald Trump Jr.'s 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer in the belief she had compromising information on Trump election opponent Hilary Clinton.

"Every time the investigation gets close to him, he reacts," Miller said. "And as it gets closer and closer, it’s hard to see how we avoid a major crisis – whether that’s him forcing a confrontation with DOJ by trying to fire Mueller or issuing preemptive pardons to everyone involved."

As Miller put it: "Winter is coming."

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Trump's reactions to the Russia investigation are also under scrutiny. Along with accounts Trump may have pressed Comey to drop the inquiry into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, Comey's abrupt firing prompted calls of an investigation of Trump for possible obstruction of justice.

Sessions, who in recent months has offered the president his resignation, declined to comment in detail on the Times interview. He essentially refused to answer questions about whether Trump's attacks compromise his authority as attorney general.

After a news conference announcing the seizure of assets from an Internet operation selling illegal drugs, Sessions said that "we are serving right now" and he remains "totally confident we are able to run this office in an effective way."

Since recusing himself from the Russia matter, Sessions has been largely traveling the country, railing about violent crime and gangs.

Two weeks ago, he was in Guantanamo to inspect the facilities there, which the Trump administration vows to keep open after Obama's efforts to shutter it failed.

Some lawmakers backed Trump's comments on Sessions.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., tweeted: "I agree with @realDonaldTrump, his Attorney General should not have recused himself over reported incidental contacts with Russian officials."

Yet other key lawmakers, such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, said turning on Sessions proves Trump is willing to throw even key supporters under the bus:

Contributing: Kevin Johnson

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