Trump wants Flynn to testify: White House

US President Donald Trump wants former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn to testify to Congress to seek an immunity deal against allegations that he colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential elections, the White House said on Friday.

"I think he believes that Mike Flynn should go testify," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a press briefing on Friday.

"He should go up there and do what he needs to do to get the story out," The Hill magazine quoted Spicer as saying.

Asked whether the White House is concerned about what Flynn might say to congressional investigators, Spicer said "nope".

Spicer disputed the notion that Trump's advice to Flynn means he believes the retired Army lieutenant general committed a crime in his dealings with Russia.

"Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media and Democrats, of historic proportion!" Trump tweeted earlier on Friday.

On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly needled Clinton aides who reportedly sought immunity in a federal investigation into her use of a private email server. He expressed his belief that immunity details were a sign of guilt, the Hill magazine reported.

"The reason they get immunity is because they did something wrong," he said in September. "If they didn't do anything wrong, they don't think in terms of immunity. Five people. Folks, I'm telling you: Nobody's seen anything like this in our country's history."

Flynn's lawyer told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday that, in exchange for the promise of not being prosecuted, he is willing to talk to the House and Senate Intelligence panels as part of their probes into whether Trump associates colluded with Russia to interfere with the 2016 presidential election.

The panels have not, thus far, accepted the offer.

--IANS

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