(CNN) Sean Spicer had a simple explanation Tuesday when pressed on why 18 days passed between when the White House was informed that national security adviser Michael Flynn had been compromised by the Russians and when President Donald Trump parted ways with him: We didn't trust Sally Yates.

Here's Spicer's full explanation on the then-acting attorney general (thanks to Mediaite for the transcription ):

"Someone who is not exactly a supporter of the President's agenda, who a couple days after this first conversation took place refused to uphold a lawful order of the President, who is not exactly someone that was excited about President Trump taking office or his agenda -- hold on, let me answer the question. She had come here, given a heads' up, told us there were materials, and at the same time, we did what we should do. Just because someone comes in and gives you a heads' up about something and says, 'I want to share some information' doesn't mean you immediately jump the gun and go take an action. I think if you flip the scenario and say, 'What if we had just dismissed somebody because a political opponent of the President had made an utterance?' You would argue it was pretty irrational to act in that manner. We did what we were supposed to do. The President made ultimately the right decision."

OK. Lots to unpack there.

Here's the most important thing: Spicer used the fact that Yates refused to enforce Trump's travel ban as evidence that she was a "political opponent" of the President and, therefore, that the White House was right to not simply take her word for it on Flynn.