Conway: Trump has ‘full confidence’ in Flynn

President Trump has “full confidence” in embattled national security adviser Michael Flynn, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Monday.

Speaking on MSNBC, Conway was asked whether Trump would stand by Flynn amid mounting speculation the president would cut his national security adviser loose over reports that Flynn discussed sanctions in a private discussion with a Russian diplomat before Trump’s inauguration. 

“Yes, Gen. Flynn does enjoy the full confidence of the president,” Conway said.

Flynn has been embroiled in controversy since the Washington Post first reported that he discussed sanctions the Obama administration placed on Moscow with Russia’s ambassador before Trump took office.

{mosads}When reports of the discussion first surfaced, Vice President Pence said on a Jan. 15 appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that he’d spoken with Flynn and that Flynn categorically denied the allegations.

However, Flynn later said that he “doesn’t recall” what was discussed and that he “couldn’t be 100 percent” sure whether they’d talked about sanctions. Flynn has reportedly apologized to Pence.

The New York Times reported Sunday that a transcript of Flynn’s remarks, based on a U.S. wiretap of Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak, exists.

Flynn’s discussion with Kislyak — and his denial to Pence — have ramped up pressure on Trump to cut ties with his national security adviser, with Democrats criticizing Trump for keeping Flynn in his position.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Monday accused Flynn of putting “Putin before America” and said he must be fired.

Trump’s policy director, Stephen Miller, declined to offer support for Flynn in a round of interviews on the Sunday morning talk shows, igniting speculation that Flynn might be on the way out. 

But Conway sought to tamp down that speculation on Monday.

“Does he have the full confidence of the president? Yes he does,” she said.

Conway noted that Flynn is intimately involved in bilateral meetings Trump is conducting with foreign leaders this week. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the White House on Monday, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will arrive Wednesday. 

“Behind the scenes they’re doing a number of different meetings where they’re talking about trade, security, the fact that Canada and the U.S. are very important neighbors to one another and will continue to be, and obviously the national security adviser is very important point person in those discussions,” Conway said.