Watch Highlights: Sean Spicer Says 'We're Not Going To Relitigate' Michael Flynn Firing

WASHINGTON, DC — White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer downplayed criticisms Tuesday of Michael Flynn's dismissal, who was fired as national security adviser after it was revealed that he misled Vice President Pence about a conversation with the Russian ambassador. Questions about this incident reemerged when former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates testified Monday that she warned the White House 18 years before Flynn was dismissed.

Reports also suggest that, contrary to Spicer's previous claims, the administration was responsible for vetting Flynn for his role as NSA, even though he had a prior security clearance. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

When asked by Kaitlan Collins of the Daily Caller during Tuesday's press briefing why President Trump waited so long to dismiss Flynn, Spicer said that it took time for the White House to review the relevant documents and conduct due process. However, he did not respond to the question about why it seemed to take a leaked report by the Washington Post to compel Trump to force Flynn out. Spicer would not answer questions about whether or not Flynn engaged in classified dealing at this time. However, when asked if there were any restrictions on his access during this period, he said, "I'm not aware of any."

Pressed on this, he said,"We're not going to relitigate the past on this."

He added: "I think the president made the right move, and we've moved on."

He also tried to cast doubt on Yates' motives, suggesting that her support for Hillary Clinton made her claims about Flynn suspicious.

Spicer repeatedly referred to Yates' visits with White House counsel as a "heads up," though Yates herself called it an urgent warning.

"I don't think there is 100 percent agreement about how she describes everything," Spicer said.

On Trump's consistent defenses of Flynn, Spicer said that the president "does not want to smear a good man."

Spicer also said "no decision has been made" on whether or not to increase troops in Afghanistan.

Asked why Trump has said that the investigation into collusion between Russia and his campaign was a waste of taxpayer funds, Spicer pointed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper's claims that he had seen no evidence of such collusion. However, the FBI has confirmed that it is investigating potential collusion, and Clapper does not appear to have been kept in the loop on this investigation.

Hallie Jackson of MSNBC asked whether the White House was hoping the group of senators working on health care policy would include any women, which it currently does not. Spicer said it would always be better to have more voices involved in the process.

Spicer dismissed reports that Trump has been dissatisfied with his current National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster. Trump has the "utmost confidence" in McMaster, Spicer said.

Watch a replay of the briefing here.

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