Watch Replay: Sean Spicer Deflects Criticism Of Michael Flynn's Vetting

WASHINGTON, DC — White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer delivered a televised briefing for reporters Monday afternoon, where he continued to defend President Trump's hiring of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Spicer's comments come ahead of former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates' testimony before the Senate, during which she is expected to contradict the White House's account of the events that led to Flynn's dismissal.

You can watch Yates' testimony on Patch, which will begin at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Monday. Spicer did not directly answer any questions about Yates' testimony, preferring to wait until after she appeared before the Senate to comment. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Asked about President Obama's warning that President Trump should not hire Flynn, as reported by NBC Monday, Spicer did not confirm the reports directly. He did, however, acknowledge that it should not be surprising that Obama disapproved of Flynn, given that the former general criticized Obama's policies. Of course, presumably most of Trump's appointees had criticized Obama, and yet Flynn was apparently singled out in the conversation.

Spicer said that if Obama really had problems with Flynn, he should have had Flynn's security clearance revoked. However, reports suggest that the Trump administration performed its own vetting of Flynn.

Earlier in the day, Trump said Yates should be asked about the leaked details of her correspondence with the White House counsel's office. Spicer would not confirm whether or not Trump was implying that she had personally leaked the info, saying, "The tweet speaks for itself."

Spicer also did not answer questions about why the president's campaign website still has plans for a "Muslim ban" on its website, despite the fact that this rhetoric has damaged its efforts defend the administration's immigration ban, which targets six countries with Muslim-majority populations.

"There should not be any question about why the president is doing this," Spicer said.

One reporter asked about why no one has been appointed to the president's panel on opioid abuse, which is 30 days into its 90-day schedule to produce a plan to address the epidemic. Spicer said the president has made it clear that he cares about the issue.

Watch a replay of the briefing here.

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Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images News/Getty News