[Beren]

The Latest: Obama said to have warned Trump about Flynn

Associated Press May 8, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the congressional probe into Russia in the 2016 election (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

President Barack Obama warned Donald Trump against hiring Michael Flynn as national security adviser in the days after the 2016 election.

That's according to three former Obama administration officials.

The warning came during an Oval Office meeting between Obama and Trump after the Republican's victory. Flynn had been fired by the Obama administration as the head of the military's intelligence branch.

Trump ultimately tapped Flynn as national security adviser, but fired him after less than a month. The White House says Flynn was fired for misleading top officials about his contacts with Russia's ambassador to the United States.

Trump has both defended Flynn and blamed the Obama administration for giving him security clearance.

The officials requested anonymity in order to disclose the private conversation.

-By White House Correspondent Julie Pace

It's a developing story indeed!

[MistyTiger]

That is genius! Hire Obama's rejects, eh Trump?

[Beren]

That is genius! Hire Obama's rejects, eh Trump?

But only for less than a month because it turns out quickly that Obama was right!

[Rancid]

People hire losers all the time.

[Hong Wu]

I just realized that if Flynn was the weak link and was given clearance by the Obama administration, that means Obama's administration spied on its own people. While this is probably normal, using that intel for political purposes is not.

Also this "Obama warned Trump" story is probably fake. Obama has shown no desire to help Trump in any way.

[Zagadka]

Sure. Obama called Trump and said, "hey, I was listening in on your phone calls which I do since I totally tapped your lines, and noticed that this Flynn guy was talking to some Russians. And not about your business deals, this time!"

[Beren]

Obama has shown no desire to help Trump in any way.

Well, Trump called him a very good man with no reason then.

However, I could imagine Obama having warned Trump about Flynn to secure himself against future allegations.

Also: 5 things we learned from Sally Yates’s testimony on what the White House knew about Michael Flynn