Michael Flynn secretly calls Russian Ambassador Kislyak to undermine Obama sanctions
Incoming National Security Advisor Michael Flynn spoke multiple times with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak on the day President Obama announced sanctions against Russia for election interference. According to later Mueller Report findings, Flynn asked Kislyak not to escalate the situation and promised that the Trump administration would revisit the sanctions. Flynn later lied to the FBI about these calls and was charged, pleaded guilty, and was eventually pardoned by Trump. The calls represented potential Logan Act violations and evidence that the transition team was conducting shadow diplomacy to undermine the sitting president's national security response to Russian aggression.
“Do not allow this administration to box us in.” — Flynn's reported message to Kislyak about sanctions response
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryThis call became central to the Mueller investigation. Flynn lied to FBI agents about discussing sanctions, leading to his guilty plea. The DOJ later moved to dismiss the case under AG Barr, and Trump ultimately pardoned Flynn. According to the Mueller Report, the call involved the Trump transition team communicating with Russian officials about sanctions policy during the transition period.
The Flynn-Kislyak calls occurred as part of broader transition-era contacts with Russian officials. According to the Mueller Report, Flynn asked Kislyak not to escalate in response to sanctions. Trump praised Putin's restrained response the following day, which investigators examined as part of the Russia investigation.
Pattern: This is part of the broader pattern of transition-era contacts with Russian officials that also included the Trump Tower meeting (June 2016), Kushner's back-channel proposals, and repeated contacts with Russian officials. Flynn's pardon completed the cycle: commit crimes for Trump, lie about them, get pardoned.