President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE on Friday was noncommittal about endorsing his former attorney general, Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsMcCabe, Rosenstein spar over Russia probe Rosenstein takes fire from Republicans in heated testimony Rosenstein defends Mueller appointment, role on surveillance warrants MORE, in his bid to retake his old Senate seat in Alabama.

“Well I haven’t gotten involved. I saw he said very nice things about me last night. But we’ll have to see,” Trump told reporters before departing the White House for events in Georgia.

“I haven’t made a determination,” he added, noting that Sessions has “tough competition” in the Alabama Senate race.

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Sessions on Thursday night officially entered the GOP primary field in a bid to take on Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.). The Alabama Republican held that seat from 1997 until 2017, when Trump tapped him to serve as his first attorney general.

But Sessions endured a rocky tenure in Trump’s Cabinet starting weeks after he formally joined the administration when he recused himself from overseeing the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Trump in subsequent months repeatedly excoriated Sessions on Twitter and in interviews over the decision, and reportedly mocked his attorney general in private.

But in Thursday’s campaign launch, Sessions appealed directly to Trump by praising his accomplishments and noting that he has not spoken out against the president since his ouster. 

Sessions resigned at Trump’s request the day after the 2018 midterm elections.

He joins an already crowded primary field of Senate GOP candidates in Alabama that includes Rep. Bradley ByrneBradley Roberts ByrneOvernight Defense: Pentagon chief says he opposes invoking Insurrection Act for protests | White House dodges on Trump’s confidence in Esper | ‘Angry and appalled’ Mattis scorches Trump Republicans stand by Esper after public break with Trump Democrats press OSHA official on issuing an Emergency Temporary Standard MORE (R-Ala.) and former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville.

Sessions told Fox News on Thursday that he had not yet spoken directly to Trump about the Senate bid.

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The White House has remained publicly neutral about Sessions’s comeback bid, despite Trump’s known animus toward him.

Vice President Pence and White House counselor Kellyanne ConwayKellyanne Elizabeth ConwayGeorge Conway group hits Ernst in new ad George Conway group contrasts Trump, Eisenhower in battleground states ad Sunday shows preview: Protests against George Floyd’s death, police brutality rock the nation for a second week MORE were both asked Thursday about Sessions and gave similar answers that steered clear of any endorsement.

“We’ll let the people of Alabama make that decision,” Pence said.