Twitter Blows Up After Trump Says It Was ‘Impossible’ For Him To Know About Flynn
On Friday morning, Donald Trump attempted to distance himself from Michael Flynn with a tweet claiming that it was “impossible” for him to know that Flynn was under investigation before he hired him. Twitter users were quick to point out that the president was given ample warning from multiple sources before he tapped the former Army general as his national security advisor.
On Thursday, unsealed court documents revealed that Flynn cooperated extensively with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. According to the filing, Flynn worked with the government on multiple instances, “both before and after his guilty plea.”
He also provided information to prosecutors about Trump’s campaign and any attempts to work with WikiLeaks.
“It now seems the General Flynn was under investigation long before was common knowledge. It would have been impossible for me to know this but, if that was the case, and with me being one of two people who would become president, why was I not told so that I could make a change?” Trump wrote.
Twitter users immediately responded to the message to remind the president that he was warned by numerous people on many different occasions about Flynn.
“Sally Yates- Flynn is trouble. Don’t hire him. Barack Obama- Flynn is trouble. Don’t hire him. James Comey- Flynn is trouble. Don’t hire him. The cashier at Target- Flynn is trouble. Don’t hire him. Donald Trump- WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT FLYNN?!?!” tweeted MMA fighter Tony Posnanski.
“Obama warned you about Flynn Sally Yates warned you about Flynn Comey warned you about Flynn So…either you’re lying about Flynn or you’re lying about having a great memory,” tweeted Emily Brandwin.
2017—Sally Yates' Senate testimony:
"Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates said Monday that she alerted the White House earlier this year that former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn could be "essentially blackmailed by the Russians."https://t.co/st5Lcc0Vz3
— Jennifer Hayden (@Scout_Finch) May 17, 2019
Former President Obama had cautioned Trump not to hire Flynn in 2016. Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates also warned the president that Flynn was susceptible to blackmail and was in a compromising situation during testimony in 2017.
Flynn resigned in February 2017 after only being in position for a short while after reports emerged that he had misled Trump’s transition team and White House officials about conversations between himself and a Russian ambassador that took place before Trump was confirmed in office.
Flynn pleaded guilty in December 2017 of lying to FBI agents about that contact.
Trump had asked then-FBI director James Comey to “let this go” in reference to the investigation into Flynn, according to a memo written by Comey. Since then, Trump has made his support for Flynn clear in numerous statements and tweets praising and defending him.
According to Mueller’s report, Trump’s attorney also reached out to Flynn to let him know that Trump had “warm feelings” toward him and asked for a heads up if Flynn had any information that would implicate the president.
