White House spokesman Sean Spicer appeared calm during Friday's press briefing as ABC reporter Jonathan Karl repeatedly pushed him on whether former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn committed a crime.
Flynn has reportedly offered to testify for the ongoing investigation into alleged ties between President Trump's campaign and Russia in exchange for immunity. Trump encouraged Flynn via Twitter on Friday morning to seek immunity, calling the federal probe a "witch hunt."
Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2017
Critics have noted that Trump said on the campaign trail last year that people who are not guilty of a crime should not need immunity.
Karl asked Spicer whether Trump's comments taken together mean that the president thinks "Mike Flynn is guilty of a crime."
"He believes that Mike Flynn should go testify," Spicer responded. "He thinks that he should go up there and do what he has to do to get the story out."
Karl asked if that includes immunity.
"Well, that's up to him and his lawyer to decide. I'm not going to give Mike Flynn or anyone else legal advice from the podium," Spicer said.
"But the president gave legal advice from his Twitter account, and he has said in the past that the only reason you ask for immunity is if you committed a crime," Karl interjected.
Spicer continued to argue that Trump told Flynn to seek immunity so that he could do what is necessary to articulate what the Trump administration has said all along.
Spicer, who has gotten animated in recent weeks during heated exchanges with reporters, remained noticeably calm Friday as Karl pushed him on whether Flynn is guilty of a crime.