White House declines to publicly defend embattled Flynn

National security adviser General Michael Flynn (L) arrives to deliver a statement next to Press Secretary Sean Spicer during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington US, February 1, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

PALM BEACH, Fla. — A top White House aide sidestepped repeated chances Sunday to publicly defend embattled national security adviser Michael Flynn following reports that he engaged in conversations with a Russian diplomat about US sanctions before Trump's inauguration.

The move, or lack thereof, added uncertainty as Trump dealt with DPRK's apparent first missile launch of the year and his presidency. The president was also welcoming the leaders of Israel and Canada this week.

Trump has yet to comment on the allegations against Flynn, and a top aide dispatched to represent the administration on the Sunday news shows skirted questions on the topic, saying it was not his place to weigh in on the "sensitive matter." Pressed repeatedly, top policy adviser Stephen Miller said it wasn't up to him to say whether the president retains confidence in Flynn.

"It's not for me to tell you what's in the president's mind," he said on NBC. "That's a question for the president." A White House official, who was not authorized to be named and requested anonymity, said in a statement Friday the president had full confidence in Flynn. Officials remained mum amid fallout from reports that Flynn addressed US sanctions against Russia in a phone call late last year. The report, which first appeared in The Washington Post, contradicted both Flynn's previous denials, as well as those made by Vice President Mike Pence in a televised interview.

Trump has been discussing the situation with associates, according to a person who spoke with him recently. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who led Trump's transition planning before the election, said Flynn would have to explain his conflicting statements about his conversations with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak to Trump and Pence.

"Gen. Flynn has said up to this point that he had not said anything like that to the Russian ambassador. I think now he's saying that he doesn't remember whether he did or not," Christie said on CNN. "So, that's a conversation he is going to need to have with the president and the vice president to clear that up, so that the White House can make sure that they are completely accurate about what went on."The comments came as the White House continues to weigh its options following a legal blow last week to Trump's immigration order suspending the nation's refugee program and barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.