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Donald Trump’s administration was warned by the justice department of Michael Flynn’s communications with Russia, the Associated Press reported earlier on Monday.

Hours after the White House said the president was “evaluating” allegations that Flynn lied about secret communications with Russia and misled Vice-president Mike Pence – but before his dramatic late-nigth resignation – sources familiar with the situation told the Associated Press that the Trump administration was aware of the justice department’s warning that Flynn might be vulnerable to Russian blackmail “for weeks”.

The Washington Post first reported on the DoJ’s warning, which came in late December from then acting attorney general Sally Yates.

Yates was fired by Trump last month after she refused to defend his travel ban against refugees and residents of seven Muslim-majority countries. According to the Post, Yates’ concerns that Flynn lied about the nature of his communications with Russia were shared by James Clapper, the outgoing director of national intelligence, and John Brennan, then the director of the CIA.

