Trump’s national security advisor resigns

WASHINGTON, Tuesday

Donald Trump’s national security advisor Michael Flynn resigned after it was revealed he misled top officials over his contacts with Russia, an unprecedented departure so early into an American president’s administration.

The White House late yesterday said President Trump had accepted Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn’s resignation amid allegations the retired three-star general discussed US sanctions strategy with Russia’s ambassador Sergey Kislyak before taking office.

Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn, who once headed the United States (US's) military intelligence, insisted he was honoured to have served the American people in such a “distinguished” manner, despite the Trump presidency being less than a month old.

Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn admitted that he “inadvertently briefed” the now Vice President Mike Pence with “incomplete information” about his calls with Kislyak.

Mr Pence had publicly defended Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn, saying he did not discuss sanctions, putting his own credibility into question.

“Regarding my phone calls with the Russian Ambassador. I have sincerely apologised to the President and the Vice President, and they have accepted my apology,” read Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn’s letter, a copy of which was released by the White House.

Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn’s resignation came after details of the telephone calls were made public, increasing pressure on Mr Trump to take action. Several US media outlets reported on Monday that top Trump advisors were warned about Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn’s contacts with the Russians early this year, reopening questions about who knew about the calls and why President Trump did not move earlier to replace Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn.

INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION

The resignation will also fuel calls for an independent investigation into Russia’s influence during the 2016 US presidential election and throws into doubt the fledgling effort from Mr Trump to establish ties with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin on Tuesday said Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn’s resignation was “not our business”.

“This is the internal business of the Americans, it is the internal business of Trump’s administration,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow.

On Monday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer insisted President Trump was not consulted about Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn, a former head of defence intelligence, discussing sanctions, nor did he task the retired general to do so.

The Justice Department had warned the White House that Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn had misled senior administration officials about the contents of his talks with Kislyak, and that it could make him vulnerable to Russian blackmail, US media reported. The message was delivered in the last days of Barack Obama’s administration by the then acting Attorney General Sally Yates, whom Mr Trump sacked after she instructed government lawyers not to defend the new president’s controversial travel ban.

BE TOLD

CNN said the then director of national intelligence James Clapper and the then CIA chief John Brennan agreed the White House should be told about the concerns.

Until quitting, Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn had been instrumental in President Trump’s inner circle.

He was an early supporter of Mr Trump’s improbable bid for the presidency and had encouraged tougher policies on Iran and a softer policy on Russia.

That was a sharp break from the Obama administration, which introduced sanctions over Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea, support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, and what US intelligence says were its attempts to sway last year’s election in President Trump’s favour.

Washington and Moscow had also clashed over alleged war crimes in Syria, where Russia is accused of aiding the bombing of hospitals and other civilian targets. Despite this, Lt-Gen (Rtd) had argued for rapprochement.

Several Republicans had joined their Democratic foes in urging Lt-Gen (Rtd) Flynn to resign over a situation that had become an embarrassment for the ruling party.