As the fallout from the Michael Flynn resignation continues to send shock waves through Washington, President Donald Trump's senior adviser Kellyanne Conway hit the morning news shows today to try to explain why the White House said it was in the dark about the details of Flynn's discussions with Russia — specifically that he discussed rolling back sanctions — and that he allegedly misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.
But this time, she was met with reporters who pushed back on her. On "Good Morning America" Conway told host George Stephanopoulos that she "couldn't reveal what the White House knew or didn’t know, and who in the White House did or didn’t know.”
After telling Stephanopoulos that she "didn't know all the details," the host shot back:
You asked to come on at the president’s request, the president wants you to come out and speak for the White House this morning. Do you know if the president was told three weeks ago, when Sally Yates told the White House counsel that General Flynn had been compromised, do you know if the president was told that?
After the interview, Stephanopoulos wondered why Conway came on "if she can't answer the simple yes or no questions about what happened with General Flynn."
Conway didn't do much better on "Today," where host Matt Lauer questioned Conway's timeline, saying "the White House knew about [Flynn's phone call] last month."
"Well that’s one characterization. But the fact is General Flynn continued in that position," Conway responded, causing Lauer to fire back incredulously.
"Kellyanne, that makes no sense," he said. "Last month the Justice Department warned the White House that General Flynn misled them! And that as a result he was vulnerable to blackmail and at that moment he still had the complete trust of the president?”
Conway avoided the question, saying simply that Trump "accepted Flynn's resignation, and wishes him well, and we're moving on."
Only hours before Flynn resigned, Conway said Monday afternoon that Flynn "has the full confidence of the president."
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