A judge has suggested US President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser sold out his country when he lied to the FBI about Russia contacts.
Michael Flynn was due to be sentenced, but his lawyers requested a delay after the judge’s blistering comments.
Flynn pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying about his contacts with the Russian ambassador to the US.
He is the first Trump administration figure to face sentencing in the probe into alleged Kremlin election meddling.
Hours before Flynn turned up for the hearing in Washington DC, President Trump tweeted to him: “Good luck today in court.”
The Republican president regularly lambasts the US justice department investigation into whether he or his aides colluded with an alleged Russian plot to sway the 2016 US election in Mr Trump’s favour.
Good luck today in court to General Michael Flynn. Will be interesting to see what he has to say, despite tremendous pressure being put on him, about Russian Collusion in our great and, obviously, highly successful political campaign. There was no Collusion!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2018
What happened in court?
Flynn was due to learn his fate on Tuesday, but the judge’s stern comments led the former national security adviser’s legal team to scramble for a postponement.
Judge Emmet Sullivan agreed to reschedule the sentencing to 13 March.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the Russia investigation, had asked for Flynn to be spared prison time.
Mr Mueller’s office cited Flynn’s “substantial” co-operation with the inquiry and career of military service.
However, Judge Sullivan told Flynn: “This is a very serious offence.
“A high-ranking senior official of the government making false statements to the FBI while on the physical premises of the White House.”
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At one point, Judge Sullivan asked the prosecutor whether the special counsel’s office had ever considered charging Flynn with treason.
The judge told Flynn: “Arguably, you sold your country out.”
Judge Sullivan also said he “can’t hide my disgust, my disdain” for the offence.
Flynn reaffirmed his guilt in court and said he “was aware” at the time of his FBI interview that lying to them was a crime.
Last week, his legal team had argued that investigators never made clear to him it was a crime to lie, and had discouraged him from having a lawyer present.
But prosecutors had hit back in court documents: “He does not need to be warned it is a crime to lie to federal agents to know the importance of telling them the truth.”
In a Fox News interview on Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Flynn had been “ambushed” by FBI agents who “broke every standard protocol they have”.
A small group of protesters were outside court, holding a large inflatable rat, while other demonstrators showed up in support of Flynn.
