After the Washington Post reported last week that national security adviser Michael Flynn had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with a Russian diplomat before Trump’s inauguration, press demanded to know whether Flynn would keep his job. On Monday, Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, told MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki that Michael Flynn “does enjoy the full confidence of the president.”
If Flynn met with the Russian ambassador to talk about sanctions, he may have broken federal law.
When asked whether this actually happened, Conway would only say, “General Flynn has said he can’t recall,” and that he has had numerous phone calls with different leaders.
Conway’s defense of Flynn broke a four day silence from the White House regarding the Washington Post report. During a Monday press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President Donald Trump only took questions from reporters from The Daily Caller and Sinclair Broadcast Group, both of whom did not ask a single question about his embattled national security adviser.
The two questions Trump takes at this press conference comes from Sinclair and the Daily Caller
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) February 13, 2017
Prior to the Washington Post report, Flynn and other administration figures — including Vice President Mike Pence — had denied that Flynn discussed sanctions prior to Trump’s inauguration. But after the Post ran its story, the White House backed away from this denial and a source within the administration told the press that Pence’s statement in defense of Flynn was “based his comments on his conversation with Gen. Flynn.” A White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that Flynn has since apologized to Pence in a telephone call, USA Today reported.
The White House press pool tried to get answers earlier today. As reporters waited outside Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s office to ask a question about Flynn, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus walked inside his office and said he would not comment.
Dozen reporters waiting outside @seanspicer's office since news conference to ask about Flynn. @Reince just walked in, declined to comment
— Michael C. Bender (@MichaelCBender) February 13, 2017