President Donald Trump demanded his national security adviser's resignation last night after concluding that an 'eroding level of trust' had made it impossible to leave him in the sensitive position.

A report late on Tuesday afternoon revealed that Michael Flynn had been interviewed by the FBI in the first days of the Trump administration over claims he made about a pre-inauguration talk with a Kremlin representative that were repeated by the vice president.

Investigators were concerned that Flynn did not tell them the entire truth, the New York Times said, and informed the White House the very same day.

Yet, the vice president did not find out until two weeks later, on Feb. 9, NBC News claimed early on Tuesday evening.

Mike Pence's spokesman, Mark Lotter, confirmed the network's reporting shortly after to a group of journalists. Lotter further said that the VP learned of Flynn's deceit from the same report on Feb. 9 that they did.

‘The vice president became of the incomplete information that he had received on Feb. 9 last Thursday night based on media accounts, and he did an inquiry based on those media accounts,' Lotter stated.

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White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday that President Donald Trump asked for former national security advisor Michael Flynn's resignation on Monday night because of an 'eroding level of trust'

Trust: The White House said Flynn was told to go by President Trump because he misled the vice president about what he said to Russia's ambassador. Flynn's relationship with Moscow included being paid to party with Putin in Moscow in 2015.

The White House knew that Flynn may not have been entirely truthful but the vice president did not find out until two weeks later, on Feb. 9, Pence's spokesman said

Kellyanne Conway suggested it was a mutual decision this morning - but that's not what Spicer said

Trump wondered aloud if leaks will hamstring his future international negotiations, including unspecified work related to North Korea - suggesting his anger was focused on the manner of Flynn's departure rather than the ex-national security adviser misleading his vice-president

Something to clap about: Trump said nothing as he signed into law a move by Congress to roll back elements of Dodd-Frank banking regulations and some environmental rules for the energy industry

Lotter delivered the statement as reporters finished a gaggle with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer about Flynn's spectacular fall from grace.

Spicer had said at a news conference earlier in the day that Trump had been reviewing and evaluating allegations against Flynn for weeks.

He would not get into the details of the situation then, or later, other than to say that it reached 'critical mass' last night.

'That is why the president decided to ask for his resignation, and he got it.'

Spicer cited Flynn's misleading statements to Pence about the call he had with the Russian ambassador to the United States – 'and a series of other questionable instances' that he would not describe.

If the ex-general provided false statements to the FBI he could face an investigation with the possibility of felony charges. It is an offense not to tell the agency the truth and interviews do not have to be under oath.

TRUMP: WHAT ABOUT THE LEAKERS? Donald Trump on Tuesday morning tweeted his first public statement since accepting National Security Advisor Michael Flynn's resignation – blaming leakers not the disgraced former general, for driving his administration's first big scandal. 'The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington?' the president wrote on Twitter. 'Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?' A White House aide told DailyMail.com shortly thereafter that a 'shameless' 'enemy within' is hamstringing the president in 'disgusting' fashion. Trump did not say whether he would prosecute government employees behind the 'illegal' leaks that brought Flynn down after he conducted secret conversations with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December and lied to Vice President Mike Pence about them. Advertisement

Flynn suggested in an interview on Monday with the Daily Caller News Foundation that he was not under investigation by the federal agency, however.

It came up as he insisted to the non-profit news outlet that he hadn't done anything wrong.

'If I did, believe me, the FBI would be down my throat, my clearances would be pulled. There were no lines crossed,' he said in the interview that hit the internet around the same time as the Times' report.

Spicer had dismissed concerns earlier in the day that Flynn's calls with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak were problematic. He said the retired general was dismissed when Trump decided he couldn't rely on him.

'There was nothing wrong or inappropriate about those discussions. It purely came down to a matter of trust. That's it,' Spicer told reporters.

The Department of Justice notified the White House's legal counsel, Don McGhan, on Jan. 26 that Flynn may have fibbed when he said that he did not discuss sanctions with Kislyak. The White House's Office of Legal Counsel immediately told Trump and some of his advisers

After a thorough review, Flynn was cleared of any violations, Spicer said during his daily briefing,

'We got to a point not based on a legal issue but based on a trust issue where the level of trust between the president and General Flynn had eroded to the point where he felt he had to make a change,' the president's press secretary said.

Flynn was not fired at that time because the Justice Department hadn't launched a probe and could not say with certainty that the Trump official had lied, he posited.

'The evolving and eroding level of trust as a result of this situation and a series of other questionable instances is what led the president to ask for General Flynn's resignation,' Spicer told reporters during his Tuesday briefing.

Asked later to explain what those other instances were, Trump's spokesman said his 'statement was very clear - it was this and a series of issues.'

Spicer declined to offer clarification later in his office. He would not say what the tipping point was for Trump last night, either.'

‘The president made a decision last night, that’s as far as I’m going to go,' he said.

Flynn has not spoken out since his interview with the DCNF. He talked to the DCNF on Monday, he said, because the president encouraged him to defend himself.

The retired three-star general had no idea at that time that he was headed for the chopping block.

'He [President Donald Trump] expressed confidence,' Flynn is quoted as saying to the DNCF. 'That's when he told me that we need to go out and talk more. So I'm going to do that.'

The interview was conducted 'just hours before his resignation,' DNCF's Richard Pollock stated. It is not clear how late in the day Flynn spoke to DCNF. Spicer announced just after 5pm on Monday that Flynn was being evaluated.

Spicer was on the hot seat Tuesday, fielding aggressive questions about the events that led to Flynn's ouster

Flynn told the DNCF at that time that he believed the controversy surrounding his call with Kislyak was 'ridiculous' and 'out of control.'

'I haven't been fighting back because I'm not that kind of guy. I'm behind the scenes. I've always been behind the scenes,' he said.

Attempting to clear his name, Flynn said that he did discuss the Obama administration's punishing actions with Kislyak - but only in the abstract.

'It was basically, 'Look, I know this happened. We'll review everything.' I never said anything such as, 'We're going to review sanctions,' or anything like that,' he said.

Flynn said he reminded the Russian ambassador that Trump wouldn't be in office for several more weeks. ' 'Give us some time to take a look at everything,' ' he remembers saying.

Spicer said he was unable to corroborate Flynn's conversation with DCNF, particularly the part about Trump saying his aide should defend himself and speak out, when it came up in his gaggle with reporters on Tuesday night.

A senior administration official suggested that Flynn had been on the ropes for some time.

The official told reporters Tuesday, after the DCNF story, that the White House talked to Navy Vice Admiral Robert Harward for the high-ranking position last week and again yesterday. 'We've been getting our ducks in a row for a long time,' the official stated.

House Speaker Paul Ryan was the first to say that President Donald Trump had asked for his national security advisor's resignation. Ryan said he was right to do so

Spicer said the White House is aiming to have a permanent replacement for Flynn in place by the end of the week but would not offer a definitive timeline for hiring.

House Speaker Paul Ryan was the first to say that Trump had asked for his national security advisor's resignation.

'National security is perhaps the most important function or responsibility a president has. And I think the president made the right decision,' Ryan said of Flynn's departure on Tuesday morning.

At a House leadership press conference the Republican told reporters, 'You cannot have a national security adviser misleading the vice president and others. So I think the president was right to ask for his resignation. And I believe it was the right thing to do.'

That was more than anyone from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue had said at that point.

A White House press release Monday night stated that Trump had accepted Flynn's resignation and was appointing Lt. General Joseph Keith Kellogg, Jr. to the post. It did not say that Flynn had been dismissed.

An accompanying letter from Flynn said, 'I am tendering my resignation, honored to have served our nation and the American people in such a distinguished way.'

Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway made it sound like a mutual decision on Good Morning America as she gently ushered Flynn out.

Flynn resigned because he realized he'd become a distraction for the administration, she said. 'It became increasingly unsustainable for him.'

The president accepted the senior aide's resignation because he 'misled' the vice president, Conway said. He was 'dishonest or forgetful.'

Flynn's letter acknowledged that he 'inadvertently briefed the Vice President Elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian Ambassador.

'I have sincerely apologized to the President and the Vice President, and they have accepted my apology.'

He told the DCNF earlier in the day, when he thought he was staying on that he felt 'terrible' about the position he put Pence in.

'He's a man of incredible integrity. I think the world of him. He is so good for our country,' he said. 'I should have said, 'I don't know. I can't recall,' which is the truth. Looking back, that's what I should have done.'

Pence's office suggested Tuesday evening that the apology had been accepted, but the VP also believed that Flynn needed to go.

'The vice president has tremendous respect for the fact that General Flynn tendered his resignation last night and that the president accepted that resignation,' Lotter said. ‘He is very grateful for General Flynn’s service to our nation in uniform and his service to this administration, and he wishes him very well.’

As of early Monday evening, Trump was 'evaluating' Flynn's position. Conway said on GMA that Flynn's clarification that he may he have talked about sanctions on the call after all 'accelerated matters.'

The hysteria over Flynn reached 'a fever pitch' Monday night, Conway said.

'The fact is the president is a very loyal person and he has a team him that serves him very admirably, and in this case information had been forthcoming for a while, but the situation had gotten to a fever pitch yesterday, later in the day.'

Flynn, a retired military general, stepped down late on Monday night, less than a month into Trump's administration as questions mounted over his close links with the Kremlin. He's pictured yesterday at the White House with Conway and other senior advisers to the president

Ryan offered an alternative version of events at his news conference on Tuesday.

'I think the key is that as soon as this person lost the president's trust, the president asked for his resignation,' he said, 'and that was the right thing to do.'

Spicer echoed Ryan's comments at his own news conference.

'The president was very concerned that General Flynn had misled the vice president and others,' Spicer said. 'He was also very concerned in light of sensitive subjects dealt with by that position of national security advisors like China, North Korea and the Middle East, that the president must have complete and unwavering trust for the person in that position.'

FLYNN'S VERY MESSY DEPARTURE - AND HOW IT ALL BEGAN December 29: Obama announces sanctions against Russia over alleged hacks targeting election. Flynn spoke with Russian ambassador Kislyak repeatedly the same day, it was later reported. December 30: Russian President Vladimir Putin says he will not respond to the sanctions, surprising many U.S. officials. Trump praises Putin's decision as 'very smart.' January 13: Trump spokesman Sean Spicer says Flynn had called Kislyak merely to set up a phone call between Trump and Putin January 15: Vice President-elect Mike Pence says in an interview with CBS that Flynn had not discussed santions in the call with Kislyak January 20: Trump inaugurated president January 23: Spicer, now White House spokesman, said Flynn had told him the call to Kislyak covered four topics: a plane crash that killed a Russian military choir; Christmas greetings; Russian-led talks over the Syrian civil war; and logistics for a call between Putin and Trump January 20-30 (exact date unclear): Acting Attorney General Sally Yates briefs Trump officials that intercepted communications indicated Flynn had discussed sanctions with Kislyak in ways she believed were 'highly significant' and 'potentially illegal' January 30: Trump fires Yates for refusing to defend executive immigration order in court February 8: Flynn denies in interviews that he discussed sanctions in the calls with Kislyak February 9: Flynn backpedals, saying through a spokesperson that he 'couldn't be certain' sanctions weren't discussed February 13: Report breaks of Justice Department concerns about blackmail, and Flynn resigns hours later Advertisement

Flynn, a retired military general, stepped down late on Monday night, less than a month into Trump's administration as questions mounted over his close links with the Kremlin.

His stunning announcement, first reported by CNN, came just hours after sources close to the government revealed that the Justice Department had warned the new administration that his conversation with the Kremlin had put him in a compromising position and left him open to blackmail.

Flynn made numerous phone calls to the Russian Ambassador to the US before Trump took office, and later hinted he may have gone against diplomatic protocol by discussing the rollback of sanctions.

The VP had vouched for Flynn, without knowing the full details of the calls, and gave him his full support several days before the inauguration. Flynn has since issued a grovelling apology to Pence.

Retired general Keith Kellogg has taken over as acting national security advisor, but the administration is considering former CIA Director David Petraeus and US Navy Admiral Michelle Howard as permanent replacements.

Democrats in the House of Representatives are demanding a classified briefing and have renewed calls for an investigation into the Russia's election meddling in response to the abrupt resignation announcement.

Reps. John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), respectively the ranking members of the Judiciary and Oversight committees said in a statement that they were 'shocked and dismayed' to learn that the Trump administration was informed of Flynn's vulnerabilities three weeks ago.

'We in Congress need to know who authorized his actions, permitted them, and continued to let him have access to our most sensitive national security information despite knowing these risks. We need to know who else within the White House is a current and ongoing risk to our national security.'

Former acting attorney general Sally Yates told the new administration last month she was concerned over potential blackmail after Flynn denied that he had discussed sanctions in calls with the Russian ambassador to the United States, the Washington Post reported just hours before the resignation.

Intelligence intercepts of those calls indicate that they did touch on sanctions in ways Yates believed were 'highly significant' and 'potentially illegal', leaving Russia with potential leverage over Flynn, the Post reported.

Flynn, a former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, spoke to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak more than once before Trump took office, sparking concerns that the two were discussing US policy toward Russia.

One call took place on the same day that President Obama applied sanctions against Moscow for their alleged interference in the presidential election.

The White House says Trump was aware of the warning, but it was not enough for him to fire Flynn.

Flynn made numerous phone calls to the Russian Ambassador to the US before Trump took office, and later hinted he may have gone against diplomatic protocol by discussing sanctions

The White House's handling of the Flynn firing was fraught with conflicting information.

First, Chief White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told MSNBC that President Donald Trump wasn't planning to axe his national security advisor.

'General Flynn does enjoy the full confidence of the president,' Conway said.

Less than an hour later, press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement that the president 'is evaluating the situation'.

'He's speaking to Vice President Pence relative to the conversation the Vice President had with Gen. Flynn,' Spicer said, 'and also speaking to various other people about what he considers the single most important subject there is: our national security.'

I inadvertently briefed the Vice President Elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian Ambassador. -FLYNN RESIGNATION LETTER

Spicer told reporters in his office on Monday evening that Flynn has not offered to quit his position, and called questions about whether Trump would accept his resignation 'hypothetical.'

He said he had spoken directly with Trump about the latest statement's wording, declaring that it reflected the president's 'current thinking.'

'This is what he asked me to communicate to you,' Spicer recounted.

After flatly denying he'd discussed rolling back sanctions with Russian officials in a January 15 interview, Flynn said he was uncertain whether the subject came up.

Two administration officials told DailyMail.com on Friday that Flynn was still unsure what he told Kislyak, the Russian ambassador. One said he couldn't be '100 percent' certain sanctions were not discussed.

Monday's joint press conference between Trump and Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau came and went without a single Flynn-related question.

Retired General Keith Kellogg will take over as acting National Security Advisor

Trump didn't respond to shouted queries as he left the White House's East Room.

As of Monday night, he had not commented on Flynn's departure.

Hillary Clinton took to Twitter on Monday night to share her opinion on National Security Advisor Michael Flynn's resignation, suggesting there are 'real consequences of fake news'.

Clinton retweeted a post from longtime confidante Phillipe Reines on Monday night, where he suggested Flynn and his son, who spread the discredited 'Pizzagate' conspiracy theory on social media, get jobs at Domino's.

'Philippe's got his own way of saying things, but he has a point about the real consequences of fake news,' Clinton said in her tweet.

Reines had written, 'Dear Mike Flynn & Mike Flynn Jr., What goes around COMETS around. And given your pizza obsession...', with a link to Domino's Pizza's job site.

In December, Flynn Jr tweeted about the Pizzagate conspiracy, which linked Clinton and her campaign chief to Comet Ping Pong pizza shop in Washington, DC.

The theory suggested that Clinton and John Podesta presided over a child-sex ring run out of the DC pizza parlor.

Hillary Clinton retweeted a post from longtime confidante Phillipe Reines on Monday night after retired Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn resigned from his position as National Security Advisor

Reines suggested in his tweet that Flynn and his son, who spread the discredited 'Pizzagate' conspiracy theory on social media, get jobs at Domino's

In his tweet, Flynn Jr did not endorse the conspiracy theory, but predicted that it wouldn't go away

Police said a 28-year-old North Carolina man opened fire with a rifle inside the restaurant in December because he thought child sex-slaves were being held against their will in the basement.

No one was harmed but the man was arrested.

In his tweet, Flynn Jr did not endorse the conspiracy theory, but predicted that it wouldn't go away.

'Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it'll remain a story. The left seems to forget #PodestaEmails and the many 'coincidences' tied to it,' he tweeted.

Meanwhile, Russian lawmakers suggested that Flynn had been forced out of his position because Trump's administration had been 'infected' by anti-Russian feeling.

'Either Trump has not gained the requisite independence and he is consequently being not unsuccessfully backed into a corner, or Russophobia has already infected the new administration also from top to bottom,' MP Konstantin Kosachev was cited as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.

Mike Flynn was paid to party with Putin and the acting attorney-general said he was 'vulnerable to blackmail': So what exactly does the Kremlin strongman have on one-time general? Mike Flynn resigned as President Trump's national security advisor Monday night after it was revealed the acting attorney general had warned the White House that Flynn could be vulnerable to blackmail by the Russians. It wasn't known precisely what could have made Flynn subject to pressure, but the retired Army Lt. Gen. had come under close scrutiny for his Russia ties, and a series of conversations he had with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. Flynn's Russia ties had already caused political problems for Trump during the campaign and the transition. Flynn gave paid remarks in Moscow in December 2015 for an event celebrating the 10th anniversary of Russia Today, the Kremlin-backed network. He was seated next to Russian president Vladimir Putin for the event. LOCATION, LOCATION: Russian President Vladimir Putin, with retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, during a dinner at the 10 year anniversary of Russia Today where Flynn spoke Flynn had just left the military at the time. He wouldn't reveal to the Washington Post how much he was paid for the engagement. 'I was asked by my speaker's bureau, LAI. I do public speaking. It was in Russia. It was a paid speaking opportunity,' Flynn told the paper. 'The gig was to do an interview with [RT correspondent] Sophie Shevardnadze. It was an interview in front of the forum, probably 200 people in the audience,' he said. After the speech, Flynn sat at Putin's table, and was seated at his right-and side. Flynn, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Obama, also said he briefed Russian intelligence on the trip, which he noted had been approved by the U.S. government. 'I had a great trip. I was the first U.S. officer ever allowed inside the headquarters of the GRU [Russian intelligence]. I was able to brief their entire staff,' Flynn said. 'I gave them a leadership OPD. [a professional development class on leadership] and talked a lot about the way the world's unfolding. Asked if that was something he wanted to do, Flynn responded: 'DIA has offices in 142 countries. I was visiting some of our key attachés and one of them was [in] Russia.' Some of his military colleagues were 'dismayed' by his post-military behavior the Post reported. Among those listed was retired Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, who made Flynn his top intelligence officer in Afghanistan, but who declined comment. Advertisement

WHO WILL REPLACE FLYNN AS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR? Retired Army General Keith Kellogg, a member of Trump's transition team, will temporarily fill the role of National Security Advisor until Michael Flynn's announced. Murmurs of who will take over the position have circulated and include the potential for Kellogg to stay on permanently. At least three other candidates have been discussed with the media, including retired Navy Vice Admiral Robert Harward, Former CIA Director David Petraeus and former US Navy Admiral Michelle Howard. Retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, Interim National Security Advisor A senior administration official reportedly told NBC News that Kellogg is being considered to stay on permanently. Kellogg, 72, was previously appointed by Trump as the head of the presidential transition agency action team for defense. He was a former commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, and served as chief operating officer of the Western coalition in Baghdad, Iraq, after the United States led the invasion in 2003. Retired Army General Keith Kellogg, a member of Trump's transition team, will temporarily fill the role of National Security Advisor, and there are rumors he may stay in the role permanently Former CIA Director David Petraeus Former CIA director and retired Army General David Petraeus is also reportedly being discussed as a potential to fill Flynn's shoes. National Security Council staffers say Petraeus is due to meet with President Trump at the White House this week, according to the Huffington Post. Petraeus, a retired four-star general, was bounced from his position atop the intelligence agency in 2012 after he it was revealed that he passed on classified information to his biographer, who had also become his mistress. Petraeus reportedly ended the affair with his principal biographer Paula Broadwell in 2012 after learning that she had sent threatening emails to a long-time family friend, Jill Kelley. He resigned from his position with the CIA in November 2012 and later pleaded guilty on a misdemeanor charge for mishandling classified materials. Petraeus was briefly under consideration to become Secretary of State before Trump picked Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson. Former CIA director and retired Army General David Petraeus is also reportedly being discussed as a potential to fill Flynn's shoes Retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward Another name being discussed is retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, the former deputy to Defense Secretary James Mattis. Additionally, he is a retired Navy SEAL and served as the Deputy Commander of US Joint Forces Command. Upon retirement in 2013 after a nearly 40-year career in the Navy, Harward took a post as a chief executive officer for defense and aerospace giant Lockheed Martin in the United Arab Emirates. Another name being discussed is retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, the former deputy to Defense Secretary James Mattis Trump has recently been in very public negotiations with Lockheed over the cost of its F-35 fighter jet program. Two senior US officials reportedly confirmed to NBC News that Harward was the 'favorite' for the position. US Navy Admiral Michelle Howard US Navy Admiral Michelle Howard has also been said to be under consideration. She is the current commander of US Naval Forces in Europe, and was the first African-American woman to command a US Navy ship and hold the position of Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Among her other record-setting achievements, she was also the first female graduate of the Naval academy to be selected for flag rank. Former National Security aide Tom Bossert Tom Bossert, President Trump's choice for Homeland Security Advisor, was also mentioned by Karam as a candidate for the position. Bossert served as a national security aide to George W Bush during his last year as president. He also served two years as a White House director of infrastructure policy. Retired Admiral James Stavridis Though James Stavridis previously said that he would not serve under the Trump administration, his name has come up amongst potentials for NSA. He currently serves as the Dean for Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. When asked in 2016 about the potentiality of him joining the Trump team, he said: 'I'm happy to provide advice, but I don't see myself joining the administration.' US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly John Kelly is the current US Homeland Security Secretary appointed by Donald Trump, but has reportedly been discussed as Flynn's replacement. Kelly recently made headlines after telling San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman that he didn't 'have a clue' what a sanctuary city was. Kelly is a retired four-star United States Marine Corps General. Advertisement

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that the resignation was an internal matter for the United States.

'We've said everything we want to say,' Peskov told reporters on a conference call.

Peskov has previously said that Flynn and the ambassador did not discuss lifting sanctions in their conversations.

He declined to elaborate on those earlier comments when asked on Tuesday.

Flynn's military career ended when Obama dismissed him as defense intelligence chief. He claimed he was pushed out for holding tougher views than the Obama administration about Islamic extremism.

But a former senior US official who worked with Flynn said the firing was for insubordination, after the Army lieutenant general failed to follow guidance from superiors.

Once out of government, he disappeared into the murky world of mid-level defense contractors and international influence peddlers.

He shocked his former colleagues a little more than a year later by appearing at a Moscow banquet headlined by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Given a second chance by Trump, Flynn, a lifelong if apolitical Democrat, became a trusted and eager confidant of the Republican candidate, joining anti-Hillary Clinton campaign chants of 'Lock Her Up' and tweeting that 'Fear of Muslims is RATIONAL'.

As national security advisor, Flynn required no Senate confirmation vote or public vetting of his record, and his tenure was brief but turbulent.