President Donald Trump spurned his former attorney general in a tweet on Tuesday endorsing his primary runoff opponent in the race for Alabama's seat in the US Senate.

The president issued the stinging rebuke of Jeff Sessions via a tweet.

"Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville) is running for the U.S. Senate from the Great State of Alabama. Tommy was a terrific head football coach at Auburn University," Trump tweeted.

"He is a REAL LEADER who will never let MAGA/KAG, or our Country, down!" he added.



"He will be a great Senator for the people of Alabama," he said in a second tweet. "Coach Tommy Tuberville, a winner, has my Complete and Total Endorsement. I love Alabama!"

The president had been openly critical of Sessions when he was the attorney general after he recused himself from the investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 election. In one missive on February 2018, Trump tweeted that Sessions was "DISGRACEFUL!"

Sessions has tried to align himself to the president's agenda despite Trump's personal rancor.

After Sessions failed to garner a majority in the Alabama primary, the president fired off a critical tweet mocking him.

"This is what happens to someone who loyally gets appointed Attorney General of the United States & then doesn't have the wisdom or courage to stare down & end the phony Russia Witch Hunt," he tweeted.

"Recuses himself on FIRST DAY in office, and the Mueller scam begins!" he added.



Polls show Tuberville either in the lead or even with Sessions, but the president's explicit endorsement may put him over the top.

Tuberville and Sessions will face off for the Republican nomination on March 31 and the winner will face Democrat Sen. Doug Jones for Alabama's seat.

Here's more on the Sessions Tuberville race: