Then-presidential candidate Donald Trump jokes with retired Gen. Michael Flynn as they speak at a rally at Grand Junction Regional Airport on October 18, 2016 in Grand Junction Colorado.

Michael T. Flynn, who was fired from his position as national security adviser, told U.S. President Donald Trump's transition team weeks before the inauguration that he was under federal investigation, the New York Times reported late Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the case.

Despite Flynn telling the team about the investigation into whether he secretly worked as a paid lobbyist for Turkey during the campaign on January 4, about a month after he was informed, Trump still gave Flynn the adviser position, the report said.

That meant Trump's team knew about the investigation earlier than was previously reported, the report said.

The report noted that the job gave Flynn, who was fired after 24 days, access not just to the president, but also to "nearly every secret" held by American intelligence agencies.

The full New York Times report can be read here.