DONALD Trump was fully briefed on the content of Michael Flynn’s call with Russia after it happened, according to Fox News.

The President heard the details of the controversial communications between his national security adviser and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, the news outlet reported. Those calls are now at the centre of a national security scandal that cost General Flynn his job.

“Under repeated questioning during an investigation by the White House Counsel’s Office, General Flynn I’m told had a full recollection of what he talked about with the Russian Ambassador,” Fox News Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts reported.

Gen Flynn initially said he did not discuss sanctions, or didn’t fully remember the content of those conversations.

.@johnrobertsFox: @POTUS was in fact fully briefed on the content of those conversations that Gen. Flynn had with the Russian ambassador. pic.twitter.com/I70FlxuYCl — Fox News (@FoxNews) February 17, 2017

The national security adviser stepped down after just three weeks in the pivotal role, where he served as the liaison between Mr Trump and America’s intelligence agencies. His position had grown increasingly untenable amid accusations he had lied about discussing sanctions with Russia’s ambassador to the United States.

According to a Washington Post report, published hours before Gen Flynn resigned, the Justice Department told the White House about Gen Flynn’s dishonesty in January, and warned he was “potentially vulnerable to blackmail” by Russia. Gen Flynn was nevertheless allowed to remain in his job for weeks thereafter.

In an interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer, Trump aide Kellyanne Conway claimed the revelation Gen Flynn had lied to Vice President Mike Pence — who then went on television and insisted he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian ambassador — was the key factor in his resignation.

More to come