The Trump administration has lost faith in national security adviser Michael Flynn, whose days could be numbered because of the widespread belief that he “lied” about his conversations with a Russian envoy, according to a report.
“The knives are out for Flynn,” an administration official told the Washington Post on Sunday.
Despite repeated assurances that he hadn’t meddled in US foreign policy during the presidential transition period, Flynn reportedly assured the Russian ambassador to the US that sanctions placed on the country by President Obama would be eased once President Trump took office. Compounding the situation, Vice President Mike Pence repeated Flynn’s claim in media interviews.
“Flynn is running out of friends, no question,” a different official told the paper. “The broad consensus in the White House is that he lied. The vice president feels like he lied. In a position that needs to be no drama, it’s nonstop drama. I would be very surprised if he lasts much longer.”
Transcripts of the phone call with the Russian official emerged when Flynn claimed they had only talked about setting up a phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and exchanged holiday pleasantries.
“[Flynn] has apologized to everyone,” an administration official told the Wall Street Journal.
A White House official refused to offer support for the embattled national security adviser.
“That’s the question that I think you should ask the president, the question you should ask Reince [Priebus], the chief of staff. I’m here today as a policy adviser,” Stephen Miller said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
And the National Security Council is now so rife with paranoia that some Trump officials are considering how to monitor other officials’ cellphones and emails for leaks, according to the New York Times.