Trump Reminds Flynn Was Given Highest Security Clearance by Obama Administration
15:54 08.05.2017(updated 17:30 08.05.2017)
US President Donald Trump reminded that his former National Security Advisor General Michael Flynn had been given the higheast security clearance by the Obama administration and accused "fake media" of lack of coverage of the information.
"General Flynn was given the highest security clearance by the Obama Administration – but the Fake News seldom likes talking about that," Trump wrote on Twitter.
Late April, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Flynn had received his security clearance from the Obama administration.
"When General Flynn came into the White House, he had an active security clearance that was issued during the [former President Barack] Obama administration with all the information that's being discussed that occurred in 2015," Spicer said.
Spicer noted that Flynn's clearance was last re-issued by the former cabinet in 2016, while he received payments for a RT speech in 2015. The press secretary specified that his goal was not to criticize the decisions taken in the past, but to explain how the process works and who adjudicates a security clearance.
Former White House Communications Director Jen Psaki commented on the claim by saying that attempts by members of Trump's administration to sidestep the controversy over former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn by blaming the previous administration "an absurd blame game."
She noted that the responsibility in vetting Flynn belongs on the incoming administration, adding that "clearly that wasn't done."
"These decisions are not made by political appointees like myself. They're made by career officials who serve through decades of different administrations with different presidents at the helm," Psaki said.
Flynn resigned in February after it was revealed that he misled White House officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, about the extent of his talks with Russian officials. His communications with the Russian Ambassador to the United States ahead of Trump's inauguration is the subject of several Congressional investigations.
Russia has repeatedly denied attempting to influence the outcome of the US presidential election, calling the allegations absurd.
© Sputnik
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