The Kremlin has previously denied that Flynn and Kislyak discussed the lifting of United States sanctions. Flynn now says he doesn’t remember if he spoke about sanctions with Kislyak. Flynn may in fact have spoken to Kislyak about lifting Russia’s sanctions-imposed by the Obama administration-before Trump was inaugurated.
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Yates-the acting attorney general who was sacked after refusing to defend Trump’s Muslim ban in court, believing (correctly) that it was illegal-and a national security official eventually informed White House counsel Donald McGahn of the FBI’s findings in late January. Flynn made the phone calls the same day that the United States imposed sanctions on Russian Federation for alleged interference in the USA elections.
US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn carefully planned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House over the past month, synthesizing policy points with his Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen, and in coordination with leadership of the Mossad.
Flynn stepped down just days after he apologized to Vice President Mike Pence for misleading him about his conversations with Russia’s US ambassador.
It is also certain to put the president’s connections with the Kremlin under new scrutiny as claims that the Russians tried to influence the outcome of November’s presidential election refused to go away. Flynn came under fire for discussing USA sanctions on Russian Federation with the ambassador back in December.
Flynn, in his resignation letter, wrote that he “inadvertently” briefed top officials with incomplete information regarding his call with the Russian ambassador.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump said on the plane ride to Florida on Friday that he was considering signing a “brand new order” as early as Monday to try to bypass the legal challenges. Flynn was a loyal Trump supporter throughout Trump’s improbable campaign previous year, but his ties to Russian Federation caused concern among other senior Trump advisers. On Sunday, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said on ABC’s “This Week” that Flynn should lose his security clearance.
Spicer confirmed reports that Flynn had called Pence to apologize.
“So you can not say whether or not the President still has confidence in his national security advisor”, Todd pressed.
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“General Flynn has served his country admirably”, he added. Flynn has advised Trump since the fledgling days of the presidential race, and their relationship has been a close one. They also warned the White House that Flynn would be open to blackmail by the Russian government.
