The Trump team warned Flynn against contacting the Russian ambassador. He did it anyway.

Ousted National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was warned by ranking members of President Trump's transition team that he should not communicate with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, The Washington Post reported Friday evening, citing unnamed former and current U.S. officials.

Flynn was reportedly told by transition staff Kislyak was under U.S. surveillance, guidance Flynn did not heed when he discussed easing U.S. sanctions on Russia with Kislyak in advance of President Trump's inauguration. "Officials were so concerned that Flynn did not fully understand the motives of the Russian ambassador that the head of Trump’'s national security council transition team asked Obama administration officials for a classified CIA profile of Kislyak," the Post report notes, but it is unknown whether Flynn read the document.

Flynn is now entangled in multiple federal investigations, and facing scrutiny from the Pentagon's inspector general as well as congressional intelligence committees.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up