Meet the Press
January 15, 2017
Chuck Todd: I want to talk about, because the issue has to do with Russia, and there was another dispute and some concern that, on the same day that the Obama administration announced new sanctions against Russia for their meddling in the 2016 election, that the incoming National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, was on the phone multiple times with the Russian ambassador United States. Can you say definitively that there was no promises, no winks, no anything that somehow there was an acknowledgement that these sanctions will go away as quickly as possible once the inauguration takes place?
Reince Priebus: So Chuck, almost every single day, General Flynn talks to counterparts and ambassadors from all over the world, almost every single day. That's his job. So as a National Security Advisor, for those that don't know, one of his jobs is to be in constant communication with his counterparts in security issues all over the world.
The tick tock on this is that, on Christmas, the two of them texted each other "Merry Christmas." A couple days later, this ambassador texted General Flynn that he wanted to talk. And then the next day, they had a conversation, which did happen to be that same day. But I have talked to General Flynn. None of that came up.
The subject matter of sanctions or the actions taken by the Obama did not come up in the conversation. In fact, it was the sports team that was in an unfortunate plane accident. They talked about setting up a phone call after inauguration. And they also talked about a conference in Syria, or a conference in regard to ISIS in Syria. So those were the only subjects that came up. But there's no controversy in General Flynn talking to his counterparts around the world.
Chuck Todd: So there was no challenge of American policy currently by Mr. Flynn with the Russian ambassador?
Reince Priebus: None.