Sean Spicer Contradicts Kellyanne Conway’s Statement That Michael Flynn Resigned Voluntarily

Several hours after Kellyanne Conway appeared on a series of morning shows to discuss the resignation of Michael Flynn, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer spoke to reporters and completely contradicted what she said.

During an appearance on Today on Tuesday, Kellyanne Conway, senior counselor to the president, specifically said that Michael Flynn decided on his own to resign as national security advisor and that President Trump did not ask for his resignation.

“Mike Flynn had decided that it was best to resign,” Conway said. “He knew he’d become a lightning rod, and he made that decision…he’d decided that the situation had become unsustainable for him, and of course the president accepted that resignation.”

Conway also appeared on Good Morning America to make the same statement, saying, “President Trump has asked me to join you today to say that he accepted the resignation of General Flynn…General Flynn in the end decided that he was a lightning rod, he did not want to be a distraction, and he tendered his resignation last night because what he had provided the vice president either was a product of misleading information or forgetfulness, and neither one was sustainable long term.”

And on Fox and Friends, Conway once again said that resigning was Flynn’s decision.

“In the end, [Flynn] felt he had mislead or misrepresented all the facts to the president and the vice president, and for that he was enormously and deeply sorry,” she said. “…The situation became increasingly unsustainable and he decided to resign.”

But during the White House press briefing this afternoon, Sean Spicer said that the president asked Flynn for his resignation.

“The evolving and eroding level of trust as a result of this situation and a series of other questionable instances is what lead the president to ask for General Flynn’s resignation,” Spicer said.

This is the second day in a row that Kellyanne Conway has made statements that were immediately contradicted by the White House’s actions. On Monday, Conway said in an interview with MSNBC that Flynn had the “full confidence” of President Trump. Hours later, Trump asked Flynn to resign.