Trump blames Obama for Trump's Flynn mess
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White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Thursday deflected blame for the firestorm surrounding Michael Flynn, saying the ousted national security adviser received his security clearance from the Obama administration.
Spicer signaled support for a Defense Department investigation into payments Flynn received from foreign groups in 2015, but blamed former President Obama’s team for clearing him.
"My only point is when Gen. Flynn came into the White House, he had an active security clearance that was issued during the Obama administration with all the information that’s being discussed that occurred in 2015," Spicer told reporters.
The spokesman brushed aside the notion that President Trump has regrets over hiring Flynn.
"The president made the right decision at the right time," Spicer said of Trump's decision to dismiss Flynn in February. "He made the right decision and we've looked forward."
He said Trump’s transition team and White House staff trusted the work of the previous administration.
"Why would you rerun a background check on someone who was the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency that had and did maintain a high-level security clearance?" he asked.
Security clearances like Flynn's are reviewed every five years, and Spicer noted that Flynn's was last reauthorized in 2016.
Asked whether he was implying that the Obama administration was at fault for the fallout surrounding Flynn’s ties to foreign actors, Spicer said his "point" is to make sure Americans understand how the process works.
The House Oversight Committee on Thursday disclosed the existence of a Pentagon inquiry into Flynn and those payments, noting that he was warned against taking foreign payments when he retired in 2014.
Flynn's appointment and subsequent dismissal less than a month into Trump's term has proved one of the most controversial moves of his administration.
Trump requested Flynn’s resignation after revelations that he misled the White House, including Vice President Mike Pence, as to his conversations with Russia’s U.S. ambassador.
But since then, a slew of reports have questioned Flynn's ties to foreign groups and actors over the years, and he subsequently filed paperwork with the Justice Department designating himself a foreign actor for work he did that advanced Turkish interests.
Flynn was fired as Obama’s Defense Intelligence Agency chief in the spring of 2014 after less than two years helming the agency.
He was ousted after clashing with top Obama national security officials, including intelligence director James Clapper.
Flynn blamed his firing on his strong views on fighting Islamic extremist groups.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/330925-spicer-blames-obama-for-flynns-security-clearance
Spicer signaled support for a Defense Department investigation into payments Flynn received from foreign groups in 2015, but blamed former President Obama’s team for clearing him.
"My only point is when Gen. Flynn came into the White House, he had an active security clearance that was issued during the Obama administration with all the information that’s being discussed that occurred in 2015," Spicer told reporters.
The spokesman brushed aside the notion that President Trump has regrets over hiring Flynn.
"The president made the right decision at the right time," Spicer said of Trump's decision to dismiss Flynn in February. "He made the right decision and we've looked forward."
He said Trump’s transition team and White House staff trusted the work of the previous administration.
"Why would you rerun a background check on someone who was the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency that had and did maintain a high-level security clearance?" he asked.
Security clearances like Flynn's are reviewed every five years, and Spicer noted that Flynn's was last reauthorized in 2016.
Asked whether he was implying that the Obama administration was at fault for the fallout surrounding Flynn’s ties to foreign actors, Spicer said his "point" is to make sure Americans understand how the process works.
The House Oversight Committee on Thursday disclosed the existence of a Pentagon inquiry into Flynn and those payments, noting that he was warned against taking foreign payments when he retired in 2014.
Flynn's appointment and subsequent dismissal less than a month into Trump's term has proved one of the most controversial moves of his administration.
Trump requested Flynn’s resignation after revelations that he misled the White House, including Vice President Mike Pence, as to his conversations with Russia’s U.S. ambassador.
But since then, a slew of reports have questioned Flynn's ties to foreign groups and actors over the years, and he subsequently filed paperwork with the Justice Department designating himself a foreign actor for work he did that advanced Turkish interests.
Flynn was fired as Obama’s Defense Intelligence Agency chief in the spring of 2014 after less than two years helming the agency.
He was ousted after clashing with top Obama national security officials, including intelligence director James Clapper.
Flynn blamed his firing on his strong views on fighting Islamic extremist groups.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/330925-spicer-blames-obama-for-flynns-security-clearance
