Over the last week, one of the hottest political stories to rock the White House has involved national security advisor Michael Flynn and his alleged role with the government of Russia. After Flynn was accused of trying to negotiate with the Russians when he was just a private citizen, new information has been released that makes matters even worse.
Flynn in trouble
After Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton to become the 45th President of the United States last November, the former host of "The Apprentice" quickly turned his attention to who would be around him in the White House.
When Trump announced that retired Gen. Michael Flynn would be his new National Security Advisor, backlash soon followed. Liberal critics of the new president were outraged at the selection, as many view Flynn as "Islamophobic," and have accused him of having an extreme stance on dealing with Islamic terrorism. In addition, Flynn has also been linked to the Russian government, with reports stating that the general had been in talks with Kremlin officials behind the back of the administration. As reported by The Washington Post, and later The Hill on February 13, Flynn's place in the White House could be even more damaging than previously thought.
According to the report, the Department of Justice had warned that Micheal Flynn could be "vulnerable" to a Russian effort of potential blackmail. The Washington Post was the first to break the story, with former acting Attorney General Sally Yates having "delivered a message to White House counsel Donald McGahn expressing concern about Flynn’s discussions with Russia's ambassador." In the aftermath, the retired general denied that he had any conversation with Russia, personally delivering the message to Vice President Mike Pence.
White House denial
Earlier in the day on Thursday, White House officials continued to deny any wrongdoing on the part of Michael Flynn. During an uncomfortable interview on MSNBC, Presidential Counsel Kellyanne Conway became frustrated with the issue, and insisted that Flynn has the full "confidence of the president."
Moving forward
As of press time, it's unknown what the status of Michael Flynn will be in the days to come, with Donald Trump not offering a comment on the matter. While the billionaire real estate mogul has been loyal to many of his closest allies in the past, Flynn's presence in the administration could cause more problems than they solve.