Spicer will likely face a barrage of questions about Gen. Michael Flynn’s resignation as national security adviser
Last Updated Feb 14, 2017 1:57 PM EST
Spicer was also asked if the White House plans to declassify the transcripts of Flynn’s calls, but said it would be “inappropriate” for him to comment on them now.
Spicer was asked why it took so long for the White House to take immediate action to fire Flynn, and he said that wouldn’t have allowed for due process.
Spicer declined to comment on whether anyone has read the transcripts of Flynn’s calls.
“That is absolutely not true,” Spicer said about the idea of the White House keeping dossiers on reporters. “There are absolutely no dossiers being kept.”
Spicer was asked if the president intends to cooperate with any investigations launched by Congress and that the White House will follow the law, but suggested lawmakers won’t find anything new.
CBS News’ Major Garrett asked if the president was truthful on Friday when Mr. Trump said he wasn’t aware of the Flynn situation. Spicer said that he was asked specifically if he had seen The Washington Post’s report, but that he had been aware of the situation before that.
Spicer said the question wasn’t whether Flynn had done something illegal, but that he had eroded the truth between himself and the president.
Spicer said that the president will hold a joint press conference with Netanyahu on Wednesday and that he will visit Charleston, South Carolina on Friday for a Boeing event.
Spicer said that the president has kept a close eye Oroville Dam situation in California, which has prompted widespread evacuations, and said that it’s evidence that Congress should pursue a comprehensive infrastructure package.
Mnuchin was asked about U. S. sanctions against Russia, but he declined to comment on whether there would be changes and only said the current program is in place.
Spicer will likely get questions about when the White House was informed by acting Attorney General Sally Yates last month that Flynn had mislead administration officials about his calls with the Russian ambassador to the U. S. and that he was vulnerable to Russian blackmail. He might also get questions about Kellyanne Conway’s comment Monday afternoon that Mr. Trump had confidence in Flynn, in contrast to Spicer’s own statement, which was that the president was evaluating the situation. Flynn’s resignation followed by the resignation only hours later.
