A fine line exists between the role of the Attorney General to represent the Government of the day and its role to represent the norms of a liberal democracy under a constitution that embeds the rule of law.

In this case, there is every appearance that a narrow circle around Trump prepared the Executive Order in question without consulting the skilled senior public services advisors on such matters and now find themselves in a precarious position legally.  In such circumstances, the public stance of an Attorney General is to represent the Government in defence in court but not to act as an uncritical spokesperson justifying the stance the Government if consulted by the media.

Those within Trump's circle  appear not to appreciate the proper role of the AG in the situation that they have created by their impulsive and overreaching actions and have inappropriately attacked both the person and role of the Attorney General by this firing and by the rationale given for this firing.