Michael Flynn Resigns as National Security Adviser



The average tenure for the National Security Adviser is 2.5 years. Michael Flynn resigned as President Donald Trump’s NSA after 24 days. The retired Lieutenant Governor stepped down as a result of calls with the Russian ambassador that discussed the sanctions placed on the Russian government by the Obama Administration.

Flynn told the Russian ambassador before the inauguration that the sanctions would be lifted. Flynn then told Vice President Mike Pence that sanctions were not discussed on the call. Pence then defended Flynn on television using that information.

The Washington Post reported that then-acting Attorney General Sally Yates warned the White House that Flynn may have been compromised, but those warnings were ignored. Yates gained publicity for refusing to enforce Trump’s immigration executive order. Yates was then let go as a result of the decision.

Flynn resigned and apologized to Trump and Pence in a letter later released by the White House. “Unfortunately, because of the fast pace of events, I inadvertently briefed the Vice President Elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian Ambassador,” Flynn wrote. “I have sincerely apologized to the President and the Vice President, and they have accepted my apology.”

Trump named retired Lt. General Joseph Keith Kellogg as Flynn’s interim replacement. Kellogg, retired General David Petraeus, and former Vice Admiral Bob Harvard are in the running for the permanent position.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer spoke about the events during Tuesday’s press briefing, “We got to a point not based on a legal issue, but based on a trust issue, where a level of trust between the President and General Flynn had eroded to the point where he felt he had to make a change.”


About Tyler

Tyler is the chief media reporter for TKNN, with the news organization since its founding in November of 2010. He has previously served as chief political reporter and chief political anchor for TKNN.

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