Donald Trump Not Worried About Michael Flynn's Guilty Plea

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, says he is not concerned about the guilty plea from Michael Flynn, the former National Security Advisor, and his cooperation with the prosecutors' investigation. According to the Associated Press, Trump's comments on Saturday morning, December 2, were his first public reaction to Flynn's acceptance of guilt and his agreement to cooperate with Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating possible collusion between Trump's campaign officials and Russian officials. Trump emphasized that there was no 'collusion or cooperation' between his campaign and Russia, stating three times to reporters that it has been proven that there was no 'collusion or cooperation.' Michael Flynn admitted on Friday that he lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials. This event will significantly impact the investigations regarding the potential collaboration and collusion of Trump's campaign with Russian officials. Flynn, a 58-year-old retired Army general, is the highest-ranking official charged by Robert Mueller in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections. Flynn's admission that he held secret negotiations with the Russian ambassador in Washington in December 2016 at the direction of senior Trump campaign officials has led many in Washington to speculate about who might be the next person in Trump's inner circle to face charges. The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, reported that one of the 'senior officials' of Trump's transition team who instructed Flynn to contact Russian officials is Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. While admitting to lying, Flynn has agreed to cooperate with Mueller's investigation. Mueller's investigation extends beyond the issue of collusion and includes any illegal contacts and decision-making, including the possibility of obstruction of this investigation by Trump himself. NBC News reported that Flynn may testify that Trump instructed him to contact Russian officials during the campaign. This news caused turmoil and a drop in stock values in the New York financial markets. However, the White House denied that Flynn might implicate others in this case. NBC News later corrected its report, stating that Trump may have instructed Flynn to contact Russian officials after the November 2016 election. After attending a federal court session in Washington, Flynn issued a brief statement saying, 'I accept that the actions I admitted to in court today were wrong.' He added, 'Accepting the charge and agreeing to cooperate with the special counsel's office is a decision I made in the interest of my family and our country. I take full responsibility for all of my actions.' The penalty for providing false evidence to federal investigations is typically five years in prison, but according to court documents, Mueller has recommended that the court consider a sentence of six months for Flynn due to his acceptance of guilt and cooperation with federal investigations. Flynn resigned from his position as National Security Advisor just weeks after Trump took office in February 2017 due to concerns and criticisms regarding his contacts with Russian officials. According to court documents released by the prosecution, Flynn requested the Russian ambassador in Washington on December 28 of last year to soften Russia's response to the Obama administration's sanctions against Russia and the expulsion of 35 of its diplomats. This action by the Obama administration was a reaction to Russia's interference in the U.S. presidential election campaign. The Obama administration was surprised by Russia's lack of reciprocal response to the punitive actions, which led to the investigation into Flynn's potential involvement and Trump's campaign in this matter. According to court records, Flynn also asked the Russian ambassador in another meeting not to vote in favor of a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel for expanding settlements in occupied territories. Although these two contacts by Flynn with the Russian ambassador do not imply collusion or cooperation with the Russian government, they raised questions and suspicions regarding the Trump transition team's relations with Russia before his presidency began. Another point is whether these actions by Trump's advisors were aimed at undermining the Obama administration or not.