Trump predicts acquittal of ex-adviser despite lies over contacts with Russian diplomat

Donald Trump predicted on Thursday that justice would close charges against his former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty of perjury in 2017 because of lies about his contacts with a Russian diplomat.

Read also: Former Trump adviser Michael Flynn still in the sights for his ties to Russia

"He is in the process of being cleared," the US president told reporters on the sidelines of a White House meeting with governors, drawing on notes recently produced by Michael Flynn's lawyers. These documents "completely exonerate him , " said Donald Trump, accusing FBI investigators, " he-turned cops" , of having "tormented" his former adviser. "They were after him, they wanted to force him to lie," he said again.

Between the election and the inauguration of Donald Trump, Michael Flynn had confidential discussions with the Russian ambassador to Washington, Sergei Kisliak. The federal police, which was investigating Russian interference in the presidential elections, interrogated him on January 24, 2017, but he had hidden his contacts. Appointed National Security Advisor, he quickly had to resign for also lying to Vice President Mike Pence about it.

After the appointment of a special prosecutor to establish whether there had been collusion between Moscow and Donald Trump's campaign team, Michael Flynn had agreed in 2017 to plead guilty to perjury and to cooperate with the law. In return, he had not been charged with undeclared lobbying activities in the service of Turkey.

Strategy reversal

But the 61-year-old former general changed lawyers and defense strategy last year. Threatened with a six-month prison sentence, he decided to go back and pleaded "not guilty" on January 14. Fifteen days later, his lawyers filed a motion to have the entire procedure quashed, alleging "shameful" procedural flaws. Their request is currently before a Washington court. On this occasion, his lawyers released notes from an FBI official advising investigators on how to conduct the interview with General Flynn.

"What is your goal? Admitting the truth or making it lie so that we can prosecute it or push it to resign? ” , wrote this unidentified agent. Police experts say this is a classic strategy for dealing with a suspect. Michael Flynn's supporters see it as evidence of manipulation.

Donald Trump, who has regularly suggested that he could grant a presidential pardon to his former adviser, for his part always denounced the Russian investigation as a "witch hunt" intended to harm him. This ended a year ago on a thick report which noted the absence of evidence of collusion, but a series of disturbing pressures exerted by Donald Trump on the investigation.