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Michael Flynn (National Security Advisor)
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Michael Flynn, a retired lieutenant general in the U.S. Army and the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was the national security advisor under the Trump administration. He was the 25th person to hold the position. President Donald Trump offered Flynn the position on November 17, 2016.[1] He resigned on February 13, 2017, amid reports that he did not provide Vice President Mike Pence with accurate information about a conversation that he had with a Russian ambassador concerning sanctions against the country. General Joseph Keith Kellogg took over as acting National Security Advisor after Flynn resigned.[2]
On November 25, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) tweeted that he had granted Flynn a presidential pardon.[3]
Career
National Security Advisor
On November 17, 2016, Trump offered Flynn the position of National Security Advisor, an appointment that does not need to be approved by the U.S. Senate. The National Security Advisor is responsible for overseeing the National Security Council staff, chairing the National Security Principals Committee, providing the president with the daily national security briefing, and coordinating the administration’s foreign policy, intelligence, and military efforts.[1]
Resignation
Flynn resigned on February 13, 2017, amid reports that he did not provide Vice President Mike Pence with accurate information about a conversation that he had with a Russian ambassador concerning sanctions against the country. In his resignation letter, Flynn wrote, "I 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."[2]
Trump said that, although Flynn “didn’t do anything wrong,” he had lost confidence in the general. Trump said, “He didn’t tell the vice president of the United States the facts. And then he didn’t remember. And that just wasn’t acceptable to me.”[4]
On February 10, 2017, a U.S. official confirmed that the general and Sergey Kislyak, a Russian ambassador, spoke about sanctions placed on the country by the Obama administration during a conversation on December 29, 2016. According to one of Flynn's aides, Flynn had "no recollection of discussing sanctions," and "couldn't be certain that the topic never came up." According to CNN, “The context of Flynn's side of the conversation wasn't clear, even to the FBI and intelligence agencies that reviewed the content, and there's nothing to indicate that Flynn made any promises or acted improperly in the discussion.” If Flynn directly engaged in negotiations with the Russian ambassador about lifting the sanctions, he would have been in violation of "an obscure U.S. statute known as the Logan Act, which bars U.S. citizens from interfering in diplomatic disputes with another country," according to The Washington Post. The law was never used to prosecute any individuals.[5][6]
On February 13, 2017, hours before Flynn resigned, White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that "The president is evaluating the situation. He is speaking to Vice President Pence relative to the conversation the vice president had with Gen. Flynn and also speaking to various other people about what he considers the single most important subject there is: our national security.”[7]
Trump responded to the media's coverage of Flynn's resignation by tweeting, "The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?"[8]
General Joseph Keith Kellogg took over as acting national security advisor after Flynn resigned.[2]
Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016 and transition team
During the 2016 election cycle, Flynn supported and worked as a surrogate for Trump. In July 2016, Politico described Flynn's relationship with the campaign, reporting, "Flynn has advised the candidate on the Islamic State, Iran and the military, according to a Trump associate familiar with the discussions. And he’s briefed Trump in person at Trump Tower, beginning last fall ahead of a debate focused on foreign affairs."[9]
As a surrogate, Flynn was a critic of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. According to National Review, "He raised eyebrows among many in the military and intelligence communities who normally steer clear of politics as he took part in campaign rallies, led enthusiastic chants against Hillary Clinton, and spoke in prime time at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland."[10] During that address, Flynn led Trump supporters in chanting "lock her up," in reference to their belief that Clinton deserved prison time for her use of a private email server while secretary of state.[11]
Flynn was a member of Trump's presidential transition team. The transition team was a group of around 100 aides, policy experts, government affairs officials, and former government officials who were tasked with vetting, interviewing, and recommending individuals for top Cabinet and staff roles in Trump's administration. He was the team's vice chair.
Defense Intelligence Agency
In 2012, Flynn became the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), a position he would fill until being forced out in 2014. The DIA is a government organization that provides intelligence to senior officials in the U.S. Department of Defense and senior uniformed military officials. Politico Magazine described Flynn's management style and eventual retirement in an October 2016 piece, writing:[12]
| “ | A well-known maverick, Flynn had been asked to 'shake things up' at the 17,000-person agency. He brought a more wartime mind-set and ethos to a sleepy Washington bureaucracy, until the bureaucracy pushed back and Flynn’s gung-ho style was deemed too 'disruptive' for an administration determined to put the unpleasant memories of Iraq and Afghanistan in the rearview mirror.[13] | ” |
U.S. Army
Flynn began his career in the U.S. Army in 1981. During his military career, Flynn was deployed as a platoon leader in Grenada in 1983 and was chief of joint war plans in Haiti in 1994. From 2004 to 2010, he served as director of intelligence in a number of military efforts:[14]
- 2004-2007: Director of Intelligence for the Joint Special Operations Command
- 2007-2008: Director of Intelligence, United States Central Command
- 2008-2009: Director of Intelligence, Joint Staff
- 2009-2010: Director of Intelligence, International Security Assistance Force
Trump administration: Issues
Iran
- See also: Federal policy on Iran, 2017-2020
- On February 3, 2017, Flynn said in a statement, “Today, the United States sanctioned twenty-five individuals and entities that provide support to Iran’s ballistic missile program and to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and engages in and supports violent activities that destabilize the Middle East. This behavior seems continuous despite the very favorable deal given to Iran by the Obama Administration. These sanctions target these behaviors. Iran’s senior leadership continues to threaten the United States and our allies. Since the Obama Administration agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran in 2015, Iran’s belligerent and lawless behavior has only increased. Examples include the abduction of ten of our sailors and two patrol boats in January 2016, unwarranted harassment of vessel traffic and repeated weapons tests. Just this week, Iran tested a ballistic missile, and one of its proxy terrorist groups attacked a Saudi vessel in the Red Sea. The international community has been too tolerant of Iran’s bad behavior. The ritual of convening a United Nations Security Council in an emergency meeting and issuing a strong statement is not enough. The Trump Administration will no longer tolerate Iran’s provocations that threaten our interests. The days of turning a blind eye to Iran’s hostile and belligerent actions toward the United States and the world community are over.”[15]
- On February 1, 2017, Flynn said in a statement, “Recent Iranian actions, including a provocative ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel conducted by Iran-supported Houthi militants, underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran’s destabilizing behavior across the Middle East. The recent ballistic missile launch is also in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls upon Iran 'not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.' These are just the latest of a series of incidents in the past six months in which Houthi forces that Iran has trained and armed have struck Emirati and Saudi vessels, and threatened U.S. and allied vessels transiting the Red Sea. In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten U.S. friends and allies in the region. The Obama Administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran’s malign actions—including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms. The Trump Administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity, and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place American lives at risk. President Trump has severely criticized the various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama Administration, as well as the United Nations – as being weak and ineffective. Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice.”[16]
North Korea
- See also: Federal policy on North Korea, 2017-2020
- Flynn met with South Korean officials on November 18, 2016, telling them that the alliance between the United States and South Korea was vital. He also said that addressing North Korea's nuclear program would be a priority of the Trump administration.[17]
Russia
- See also: Federal policy on Russia, 2017-2020
- During an October 2015 interview with Politico, Flynn called Russian President Vladimir Putin "a totalitarian dictator and a thug who does not have our interests in mind." He continued, "But Putin is smart and savvy, and he has taken actions in Ukraine and elsewhere that have limited our options, and the U.S. and NATO response has been timid. I think Trump’s strength lies in being a master negotiator, and he wants as many options as possible in dealing with Russia."[18]
Noteworthy events
Pardoned by President Donald Trump on November 25, 2020
On November 25, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) tweeted that he had granted a presidential pardon to Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in 2017 as part of the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.[19][20] On January 14, 2020, Flynn sought to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing government prosecutors had breached the deal to which he and his attorneys had agreed.[21]
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Politico, "Trump offers national security adviser post to Michael Flynn," November 17, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Hill, "National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigns," accessed February 13, 2017
- ↑ News 10, "Trump: Former aide Michael Flynn ‘granted a full pardon’," November 25, 2020
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Bob Harward Turns Down National Security Adviser Job," accessed February 17, 2017
- ↑ CNN, "Trump says he's unaware of reports Flynn discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador," accessed February 13, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Justice Department warned White House that Flynn could be vulnerable to Russian blackmail, officials say," accessed February 14, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "Spicer: Trump 'evaluating situation' with Flynn," accessed February 13, 2017
- ↑ Twitter, "Donald J. trump," accessed February 14, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Trump's favorite general," July 8, 2016
- ↑ National Review, "Michael Flynn Said to Be Trump’s Top Choice for National Security Adviser," November 16, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Michael Flynn leads chants of 'lock her up' at Republican Convention," August 11, 2016
- ↑ Politico Magazine, "How Mike Flynn Became America’s Angriest General," October 16, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ ABC News, "Michael Flynn: Everything You Need to Know About the New National Security Adviser," November 18, 2016
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Statement by National Security Advisor Michael T. Flynn on Iran," accessed February 6, 2017
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Statement by the National Security Advisor," accessed February 6, 2017
- ↑ International Business Times, "Trump's national security adviser Michael Flynn vows to make North Korea nuclear threat a priority," November 19, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "How Mike Flynn Became America’s Angriest General," October 16, 2016
- ↑ News 10, "Trump: Former aide Michael Flynn ‘granted a full pardon’," November 25, 2020
- ↑ NPR, "Michael Flynn Pleads Guilty To Lying To FBI," December 1, 2020
- ↑ Politico, "Michael Flynn seeking to withdraw guilty plea," January 14, 2020
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Susan Rice |
National Security Advisor January 20, 2017-February 13, 2017 |
Succeeded by H.R. McMaster |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
