5 times Trump defended Flynn

Former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty on Friday to lying to the FBI about conversations he had with then-Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the presidential transition.

President Donald Trump tapped the retired lieutenant general to be his national security adviser a week after his historic election, despite warnings from former President Barack Obama. Flynn lasted 24 days in the administration before he resigned following reports that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with Kislyak.


While neither Trump nor the White House has so far commented publicly on Flynn’s plea, here’s what the president has said about his first national security adviser:

Timeline: Trump defends Flynn Joint presser with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu “Michael Flynn, General Flynn, is a wonderful man. I think he’s been treated very, very unfairly by the media — as I call it, the fake media, in many cases. And I think it’s really a sad thing that he was treated so badly. I think, in addition to that, from intelligence — papers are being leaked, things are being leaked. It’s criminal actions, criminal act, and it’s been going on for a long time — before me. But now it’s really going on, and people are trying to cover up for a terrible loss that the Democrats had under Hillary Clinton. “I think it’s very, very unfair what’s happened to General Flynn, the way he was treated, and the documents and papers that were illegally — I stress that — illegally leaked. Very, very unfair.” Read the story » On Twitter Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2017 On Twitter General Flynn was given the highest security clearance by the Obama Administration - but the Fake News seldom likes talking about that. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2017 Fox News interview “Well — well, let me just tell you, I do feel badly for him. He served the country. He was a general. But just remember, he was approved by the Obama administration at the highest level. And when they say we didn't vet, well, Obama, I guess, didn't vet, because he was approved at the highest level of security by the Obama administration. “So when he came into our administration, for a short period of time — he came in — he was already approved by the Obama administration, and he had years left on that approval.” White House statement “While the President has repeatedly expressed his view that General Flynn is a decent man who served and protected our country, the President has never asked Mr. Comey or anyone else to end any investigation, including any investigation involving General Flynn. The President has the utmost respect for our law enforcement agencies, and all investigations. This is not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the President and Mr. Comey.”