Kellyanne Conway Gives Jaw-Dropping Interview Over Trump's Handling Of Michael Flynn Scandal
Kellyanne Conway Gives Jaw-Dropping Interview Over Trump's Handling Of Michael Flynn Scandal
'That makes no sense.'
'That makes no sense.'
Matt Lauer
Yesterday you said that Michael Flynn had the full confidence of the President. Later Sean Spicer said the President was evaluating the situation and then Michael Flynn resigns overnight. Were you out of the loop on this?
Kellyanne Conway
No not at all, both were true. The President is very loyal, he's a very loyal person and by night's end Mike Flynn decided it was best to resign, he knew he'd become a lightning rod and he made that decision.
Matt Lauer
So if he had not resigned the President would have continued with him as national security advisor even though he misled the vice President and the administration about the contents of that call?
Kellyanne Conway
That fact is what became unsustainable actually, I think misleading the vice President is key here. I spoke to the President this morning and he asked me to speak on his behalf and to reiterate that Mike Flynn had resigned, he'd decided the situation had become unsustainable for him here.
Matt Lauer
Wait a second, you're saying that was the straw that broke the camel's back? But the White House knew about that last month when the Justice Department warned the White House that General Flynn had not been completely honest in characterising that conversation with the Russian Ambassador. They even went further to say that as a result of that dishonesty he was at risk of blackmail by the Russians.
Kellyanne Conway
Well that is one characterisation but the fact is Flynn continued in that position, was in the President's briefings and the daily call as recently as yesterday and as time wore on obviously the situation became...
Matt Lauer
Kellyanne, that makes no sense. Last month the Justice Department warned the White House that Flynn had misled them and was vulnerable to blackmail and at that moment he still had the complete trust of the President?
Kellyanne Conway
Matt, I'm telling you what the President has said which is that he's accepted General Flynn's resignation and he wishes him well and we're moving on.
Matt Lauer
I want to go back to that call - you're making me think General Flynn might not have been freelancing but was acting on behalf of the incoming [Trump] administration. Would that be accurate?
Kellyanne Conway
No, it would be a mistake to conclude that. Remember in the end it was misleading the President that made the situation unsustainable...
Matt Lauer
... which the White House knew about last month. And yet yesterday you went on air and said General Flynn had the complete confidence of the President.
Kellyanne Conway
And General Flynn decided last night he should resign and the President accepted that resignation. The President is very loyal and he's been carrying forward with his entire team - very effectively frankly - and at this stage he accepted the resignation and he's moving on...
Matt Lauer
But loyalty is one thing but keeping a guy at the position of national security advisor who has communicated with the Russians and then misled the administration about the contents of that communication is entirely a different thing.
Kellyanne Conway
It is not just one communication, in this incidence it is the misleading of the Vice President and also the inability to remember as General Flynn started to clarify his remarks and say "I can't remember, I can't recall". I think that was his clarification over the weekend.