United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday hit back at President Donald Trump, saying that the actions of the Department of Justice “will not be improperly influenced by political considerations”. Sessions’ statement was posted on Twitter by Justice Department Spokesperson Sarah Isgur Flores.

“I took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in, which is why we have had unprecedented success at effectuating the President’s agenda,” said Sessions, who earlier recused himself from investigating the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential elections.

“I demand the highest standards, and where they are not met, I take action,” said Session. “However, no nation has a more talented, more dedicated group of law enforcement investigators and prosecutors than the United States.”

The comments came hours after Trump, in an interview with Fox News, said, “Jeff Sessions never took control of the Justice Department, and it’s a sort of an incredible thing.” Trump attacked the former Alabama senator for recusing himself. “He took the job and then he said, ‘I’m going to recuse myself.’ I said what kind of a man is this?” Trump said in the interview.

Trump said that the “only reason” he appointed Sessions the attorney general was because he worked on his presidential campaign. “Because I felt loyalty, he was an original supporter,” said Trump. “He was on the campaign.”

When asked if he would fire Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein after the mid-term elections, Trump said he could not rule that out.