Michael Flynn resigns: Trump's national security adviser quits over Russia links – as it happened

Claire Phipps

Flynn says he ‘inadvertently briefed the vice-president-elect and others’ over calls to Russian ambassador which reportedly discussed lifting of sanctions

General Mike Flynn has left his post as Donald Trump’s national security adviser. Photograph: UPI / Barcroft Images

General Michael Flynn has resigned as Donald Trump’s national security adviser after weeks of speculation over his links to Russia turned into days of reporting on the contents of his calls with the Russian ambassador and a day of intense pressure over whether the president could continue to back his pick.


The resignation came late at night, at around 11pm Washington DC, after further news reports revealed that the White House had been warned last month by then acting attorney general Sally Yates – before she was fired for advising justice department lawyers that the travel ban was “not lawful” – that Flynn was vulnerable to blackmail.

Transcripts of intercepted calls between Flynn and Russian ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyev, as described by US officials to various news outlets, showed the two had discussed sanctions ahead of Trump’s inauguration, when Flynn was part of the transition team but not in post as national security adviser.

Sanctions had been imposed by then-President Barack Obama after US agencies concluded Moscow had interfered in the US election campaign.

In his resignation letter, Flynn conceded that he had misled the vice-president Mike Pence, who had previously publicly denied that Flynn had discussed sanctions with Kislyev. Flynn wrote:

Unfortunately, because of the fast pace of events, 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.

Flynn's resignation letter: full text

February 13, 2017

In the course of my duties as the incoming National Security Advisor, I held numerous phone calls with foreign counterparts, ministers, and ambassadors. These calls were to facilitate a smooth transition and begin to build the necessary relationships between the President, his advisors and foreign leaders. Such calls are standard practice in any transition of this magnitude.

Unfortunately, because of the fast pace of events, 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.

Throughout my over thirty three years of honorable military service, and my tenure as the National Security Advisor, I have always performed my duties with the utmost of integrity and honesty to those I have served, to include the President of the United States.

I am tendering my resignation, honored to have served our nation and the American people in such a distinguished way.

I am also extremely honored to have served President Trump, who in just three weeks, has reoriented American foreign policy in fundamental ways to restore America’s leadership position in the world.

As I step away once again from serving my nation in this current capacity, I wish to thank President Trump for his personal loyalty, the friendship of those who I worked with throughout the hard fought campaign, the challenging period of transition, and during the early days of his presidency.

I know with the strong leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence and the superb team they are assembling, this team will go down in history as one of the greatest presidencies in U.S. history, and I firmly believe the American people will be well served as they all work together to help Make America Great Again.

Michael T. Flynn, LTG (Ret)

Assistant to the President / National Security Advisor

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