The renewed focus on Russia is seen as a major let down after Tuesday
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President Donald Trump is extremely frustrated with his senior staff and communications team for allowing the firestorm surrounding Attorney General Jeff Sessions to steal his thunder in the wake of his address to Congress, sources tell CNN.
“Nobody has seen him that upset,” one source said, adding the feeling was the communications team allowed the Sessions news, which the administration deemed a nonstory, to overtake the narrative.
On Thursday, Sessions recused himself from any current or future investigations into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign after it was reported he had met with the Russian ambassador to the US, something he had previously failed to disclose.
In particular, the renewed focus on Russia is seen as a major letdown after Tuesday when top officials were riding high, congratulating one another on Trump’s speech to Congress.
“The staff fumbled,” Trump told the team for not being prepared when the Sessions story came out, according to another source.
The President was “hot” and exasperated Thursday night after Sessions’ recusal, a source familiar with the situation said, considering it hasty and overkill.
When the President returned to the White House Thursday evening from a day trip to Virginia, there were “a lot of expletives.” The source said for more than a week Trump had been lamenting that his senior staff “just keep getting in their own way.”
“The President had a fantastic week advancing his agenda to lift up all Americans and keep the nation safe. His joint session speech will go down in history as one of the best,” White House spokesman Sean Spicer said in response to CNN’s reporting.
The President is showing increasing flashes of anger over the performance of his senior staff and daily developments about Russia overshadowing his message, multiple people inside the White House and outside the administration told CNN.
Trump voiced his frustration to his inner circle in the Oval Office Friday, sources said. He feels attacked by the media, former Obama administration officials and others, and frustrated that things are not going more smoothly. The President expressed his anger at non-stop leaks undermining his administration, the sources said.
One source familiar with the Friday meeting said Trump was angry at senior staff, including chief of staff Reince Priebus, about the state of affairs at the White House this week.
Word had spread through the White House that Priebus had been chewed out but those in the room dispute that.
Priebus declined to comment on the record about the meeting.
One official, who was in the Oval Office, said there was an “animated discussion” about a number of subjects during the meeting – the forthcoming immigration executive order, health care and Russia developments.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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US President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress for the first time on Tuesday, February 28. Behind him, from left, are Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Trump speaks at the beginning of his address.
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A wide view of the House chamber.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Supreme Court justices watch the speech. From left, in front, are John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Maureen Scalia, the widow of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, is applauded during the speech.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Carryn Owens, center, cries as she is applauded by the chamber during Trump's speech. Owens' husband, Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens, recently was killed during a mission in Yemen. "Ryan died as he lived: a warrior and a hero, battling against terrorism and securing our nation," Trump said. The applause lasted over a minute, which Trump said must be a record.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Trump also recognized Megan Crowley, a college student who, at 15 months old, was diagnosed with Pompe disease and wasn't expected to live past age 5. Her father founded a pharmaceutical company to find a cure. "Megan's story is about the unbounded power of a father's love for a daughter," Trump said. "But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and Drug Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that saved Megan's life, from reaching those in need."
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Muslim activist Fauzia Rizvi, a guest of US Rep. Mark Takano, watches Trump's address.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Members of Trump's Cabinet applaud the President. From left are Defense Secretary James Mattis, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Trump smiles during his speech, which lasted over an hour.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi listens to the speech.
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The President waves before starting his speech.
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Trump is applauded after arriving in the House chamber.
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Trump shakes hands with Ryan before starting.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Trump shakes hands on his way through the chamber. Facing the President here are Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, left, and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Trump stands in the doorway of the House chamber while being introduced.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Pence confers with Ryan before Trump's speech.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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First lady Melania Trump, bottom right, is applauded as she arrives in the chamber.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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US Sen. John McCain, left, talks with US Sen. Lindsey Graham before Trump arrived.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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US Sens. Cory Booker and Bob Menendez arrive in the House chamber.
Photos: President Trump's first address to Congress
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Many Democrats wore white as a nod to the women's suffrage movement. Posing for a photo here are, from left, US Reps. Brenda Lawrence, Joyce Beatty, Marcia Fudge and Val Demings.
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US Sen. Bernie Sanders arrives for the speech.
Trump is upset because he doesn’t believe he is getting the credit he thinks he deserves for his time in office so far because of self-inflicted wounds and missteps, the source said. An informed presidential ally outside government but close to the President said Trump was really angry about having a “mini disaster” a week. The President’s mood is adding to tremendous pressure inside the West Wing and aides have been seen in tears in recent days at multiple meetings.
With so much on the administration’s plate – leaks, Russia story, pending executive order and Obamacare repeal and replacement – Priebus said he would not go to Florida with the President this weekend as had been previously planned, a source told CNN. He was on the manifest, and a big donor reception by the Republican National Committee which Priebus used to chair was on Preibus’ schedule.
But the President said he thought it wouldn’t be a good idea since he is not happy with the state of matters right now, the same source said.
A White House official disputed that Priebus was supposed to travel to Florida, adding that he stayed home this weekend for a family celebration.
White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who initially decided to also stay in Washington Friday, ended up traveling to Florida Saturday and is joining Trump, Sessions, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross at dinner at Mar-a-Lago.