Contradicting Conway, Ryan Claims Trump Asked For Flynn’s Resignation

House Speaker Paul Ryan Wis. meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, following GOP strategy session. Ryan gave a strong defense of President Donald Trump's refugee and immigration ... House Speaker Paul Ryan Wis. meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, following GOP strategy session. Ryan gave a strong defense of President Donald Trump's refugee and immigration ban to caucus members and said he backs the order, which has created chaos and confusion worldwide. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS
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House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) said Tuesday that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was asked to resign from his position by the President, contradicting comments from White House adviser Kellyanne Conway earlier Tuesday morning.

At a press briefing with Republican leadership on Tuesday, Ryan was asked about Flynn’s resignation. The retired general tendered his resignation in a letter on Monday night.

“Let me take a step back for a second. National security is perhaps the most important function or responsibility a president has, and I think the President made the right decision to ask for his resignation,” he said. “You cannot have a national security adviser misleading the Vice President and others.”

“So I think the President was right to ask for his resignation, and I believe it was the right thing to do,” he said again.

But during an interview hours earlier on NBC’s “Today,” White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said that Flynn resigned voluntarily.

“The President is very loyal. He’s a very loyal person. And by nighttime, Mike Flynn had decided it was best to resign. He knew he became a lightning rod, and he made that decision,” she said.

A White House official told TPM Tuesday morning that Flynn was asked to resign. A representative from Ryan’s office has not responded to TPM’s request for comment.

On Thursday, the Washington Post reported that Flynn had discussed sanctions in a call with the Russian ambassador to the United States before Trump’s inauguration. Vice President Pence had defended Flynn against charges of wrongdoing in subsequent interviews, but in his letter of resignation, Flynn admitted that he had “inadvertently briefed the Vice President Elect and others with incomplete information” after the call.

On Monday, the Post reported that then-acting Attorney General Sally Yates had warned the White House in January that Flynn could be vulnerable to blackmail from Russia.

This post has been updated.

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