‘Obama Made the President Aware That He Was Not a Fan of Michael Flynn’
President Barack Obama warned President-elect Donald Trump to not hire Mike Flynn, yet the incoming leader of the free world ignored that advice (along with, apparently, a lot of other advice Obama offered). Now the Trump White House is firing back, defending President Trump. Flynn, who made over a half-million dollars as a lobbyist for Turkey during the time he was advising Trump – including on issues related to Turkey – was ultimately fired by Trump three weeks after being promoted to National Security Adviser.
In a rapid response to the news first reported by NBC News late Monday morning that Obama had warned Trump, the Trump White House has just said the reason President-elect Trump totally ignored President Obama’s advice was because Flynn had been publicly critical of Obama.
“While the President has never divulged the details of that conversation which lasted far longer than either party anticipated, Obama made the president aware that he was not a fan of Michael Flynn and why would he be given this was a person who had been critical in a public way (tv, media appearances and campaigning with candidate Trump) of Obama,” a Senior White House official told NBC News’ Peter Alexander.Â
“It is worth noting Flynn previously served in the Obama administration,” that official added.Â
So, Trump discounted Obama’s advice because Flynn had been a critic of Obama. Perhaps that’s how Trump’s mind works. (We know that he is more likely to be supportive of those who flatter him, and uncompromisingly aggressive against those who do not.)
Alexander also cites a different White House official who “says, if president Obama and his team were so concerned with General Flynn, why didn’t he take steps to revoke his security clearance.”
(To be clear, the grammar issues are the fault of the White House, not the reporter.)
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