May 8, 2017

Report: Obama warned Trump against hiring Flynn

Dave Lawler

AP

NBC News reports that Barack Obama warned President Trump against hiring Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser, citing three former Obama administration officials. Per NBC, the warning came "less than 48 hours after November's election when the two sat down for a 90-minute conversation in the Oval Office."

A senior White House official confirmed to NBC that Obama told Trump "he was not a fan of Michael Flynn," but said that wasn't surprising given how critical Flynn had been of Obama.

Just this morning, Trump tweeted: "General Flynn was given the highest security clearance by the Obama Administration - but the Fake News seldom likes talking about that."

Sound smart: Axios' Jonathan Swan reported last night that White House officials were leaking constantly about Flynn to try and get as much separation from him as possible amid the Russia inquiry. Trump was unhappy to see that report, though, and wants his aides to stop bashing Flynn.

Up next: Sally Yates, the former acting attorney general, will testify this afternoon that she warned the administration about Flynn long before he was fired.

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