When Michael Flynn resigned Monday night, he claimed what may be the record for shortest tenure ever for a national security adviser. Typically, national security advisers last an average of 949 days on the job, author and London School of Economics government fellow Brian Klaas noted. President Trump's national security adviser lasted a tiny fraction of that:
Flynn resigned late Monday after just 24 days in the post following the Justice Department's warning to the White House that Flynn's discussion of sanctions with Russia's ambassador could make him susceptible to blackmail.
Prior to Trump's inauguration, the retired general discussed the sanctions imposed by the Obama administration on Russia over its alleged interference in the U.S. presidential election during a phone call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. However, Flynn initially denied he'd discussed the topic with Kislyak, and Vice President Mike Pence repeated that claim in multiple interviews. Flynn later admitted he had discussed the sanctions.
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In his resignation letter, Flynn said he had unintentionally given Pence "incomplete information," and had apologized to both the vice president and the president.
