Trump, lamenting Jeff Sessions' Russia recusal, says he has 'great respect' for Eric Holder because he 'protected' Obama

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Donald Trump.

• President Donald Trump said he had "great respect" for former Attorney General Eric Holder having "totally protected" former President Barack Obama.
• Trump made the comment to The New York Times during a Thursday interview in which he said it was "too bad" that his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, recused himself from the Russia investigation.

President Donald Trump told The New York Times in a Thursday interview that former Attorney General Eric Holder "totally protected" former President Barack Obama.

Trump added that he has "great respect for that," lamenting that it was "too bad" his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, recused himself earlier this year from the Justice Department's Russia investigation.

"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, adding, "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."

Trump for months has both publicly and privately stewed over Sessions' recusal from the Russia probe, which is now being overseen by special counsel Robert Mueller, who had to be appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein due to Sessions' recusal. Trump has suggested that he would have never hired Sessions for the job had he known that the former Alabama senator would later recuse himself from the investigation into Russian election meddling and the Trump campaign's possible involvement.

Holder has been on the receiving end of criticism from Trump in the past. He has been an outspoken critic of some of the president's actions in recent months.