President Trump exploded in an Oval Office outburst after learning the Justice Department had abandoned efforts to sanction targeted law firms through executive orders, according to Wall Street Journal reporting citing people familiar with the matter.

Trump told officials "I never signed off on that," expressing fury over the decision made without his authorization.

The revelation emerged amid mounting criticism of the Trump administration's efforts to prosecute political opponents. Courts have already removed multiple Trump prosecutors for illegally serving in their positions, impacting prosecutions against former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey, both involved in the 2016 Russia investigation.