Michael Flynn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Flynn
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Official portrait, 2012
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| 24th United States National Security Advisor | |
| In office 22 January 2017 – 13 February 2017 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | K. T. McFarland |
| Preceded by | Susan Rice |
| Succeeded by | H. R. McMaster |
| Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency | |
| In office 24 July 2012 – 7 August 2014 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Ronald L. Burgess Jr. |
| Succeeded by | David Shedd (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Michael Thomas Flynn
24 December 1958 Middletown, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (before 2021) Republican (from 2021) |
| Spouse |
Lori Andrade
(m. 1981) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives |
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| Education |
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| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1981–2014 |
| Rank | Lieutenant general |
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| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
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Michael Thomas Flynn (born 24 December 1958) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general. He served as the 24th U.S. national security advisor for a short time in 2017 during the first Trump administration. He left his role after reports that he had given incomplete information about his talks with the Russian ambassador.
Flynn had an important role in the U.S. military. He helped create strategies to fight terrorism and break up enemy groups in the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. He held many senior intelligence jobs. In July 2012, he became the 18th director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. He retired from the military in August 2014. After leaving the military, he started a company called Flynn Intel Group. This company offered intelligence services to businesses and governments. He also became an advisor to Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Michael Thomas Flynn was born on December 24, 1958. He grew up in Middletown, Rhode Island. He was one of nine children. His parents were Helen Frances and Charles Francis Flynn. Both were Catholics of Irish descent. His family has a long history of serving in the military. His younger brother, Charles A. Flynn, is also a four-star general.
When he was 13, Flynn and a friend saved two toddlers from a rolling car. The local town council honored him for this brave act. He attended Middletown High School. There, he met Lori Andrade, whom he married in 1981.
Flynn went to the University of Rhode Island. He struggled at first but later earned a scholarship from the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). He graduated in 1981 with a degree in management science. He also earned several master's degrees. These include a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University. He also earned a Master of Military Art and Science from the United States Army Command and General Staff College. His last degree was a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.
Military Career (1981–2014)
U.S. Army Service
Flynn joined the U.S. Army in 1981 as a second lieutenant in military intelligence. He served in many places, including Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was part of the 82nd Airborne Division. He also served in the invasion of Grenada and Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti.
In 1983, during his service in Grenada, Flynn jumped off a cliff to rescue two stranded soldiers. He was disciplined for this, but his fellow soldiers respected his courage.
He held important intelligence roles in Afghanistan and Iraq. He worked with General McChrystal to improve intelligence gathering. This helped to speed up operations against groups like Al-Qaeda in Iraq. From 2009 to 2010, he was the director of intelligence for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. He was disciplined for sharing classified information with Pakistani officials.
Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
In September 2011, Flynn was promoted to Lieutenant General. He became the assistant director of national intelligence. In April 2012, President Barack Obama nominated him to lead the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Flynn took command of the DIA in July 2012. He was also commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance.
In June 2013, Flynn became the first U.S. officer allowed inside the Russian military intelligence (GRU) headquarters in Moscow. He was invited by the GRU chief General Igor Sergun.
Flynn's time at the DIA ended in mid-2014. Some colleagues were concerned about his management style. He retired from the U.S. Army on August 7, 2014, after 33 years of service.
Post-Military Career
Consulting Work
After retiring, Flynn and his son, Michael G. Flynn, started Flynn Intel Group Inc. This company offered intelligence services to businesses and governments. The company was active from late 2014 to 2016. In 2015, Flynn received payments from companies connected to Russia. These included Volga-Dnepr Airlines and Kaspersky Lab.
In December 2015, Flynn attended a special dinner in Moscow. It was for RT, a Russian government-owned media outlet. He sat next to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the dinner. He also gave a speech about world affairs and was paid for it.
In March 2017, Flynn registered as a foreign agent. He admitted that in 2016, he had done paid work that might have helped Turkey's government.
2016 U.S. Presidential Election
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In February 2016, Flynn became an advisor to the Trump campaign. He was considered as a possible running mate for Trump. However, Trump chose Mike Pence instead.
Flynn was a main speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention. He gave a strong speech. He criticized the previous administration and called for a stronger America. He also spoke about his views on political correctness.
National Security Advisor (2017)
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On November 18, 2016, Flynn accepted Trump's offer to be the National Security Advisor. Before he took the job, some media sources raised concerns about his connections with Russia.
Talks with Russian Ambassador
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Flynn had known Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak since 2013. They spoke several times in late December 2016 and January 2017. One important call was on December 29. President Obama had announced actions against Russia for interfering in the 2016 U.S. election. Flynn spoke with Kislyak, urging Russia not to escalate their response.
Flynn later gave incomplete information about these conversations to incoming Vice President Mike Pence and other officials. This led to public confusion. U.S. intelligence agencies routinely monitor calls involving foreign agents. They learned about Flynn's conversations with Kislyak.
Resignation
On February 9, 2017, The Washington Post reported that Flynn had discussed the U.S. actions with Kislyak. This was different from what the Trump administration had publicly stated. After these reports, public pressure on Flynn grew.
On February 13, Flynn resigned as National Security Advisor. He wrote that he had given "incomplete information" about his talks with Kislyak. His time as National Security Advisor lasted only 24 days, the shortest in history for that position. The White House later stated that Trump asked for Flynn to resign due to a "trust issue."
Public Life and Views
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Flynn has been a supporter of current Israeli policies. He is also against the Iran nuclear deal. He has stated that the U.S. is "at war with a radical component of Islam". He has also been involved with the ReAwaken America Tour, which focuses on Christian nationalist ideas.
In 2020, Flynn made headlines for suggesting that the president could use military authority to hold a new election. He later met with President Trump to discuss options related to the 2020 election results. His Twitter account was suspended in January 2021 but was later brought back online in 2023.
Flynn has continued to be active in conservative and Christian groups. He works to influence elections through efforts like poll watching.
Personal Life
Flynn married Lori Andrade in 1981. They have two children, Michael Flynn Jr. and Matt Flynn. In 2021, Flynn moved to Sarasota County, Florida.
Writings
Flynn has co-authored several books. In 2010, he co-authored a report called Fixing Intel: A Blueprint for Making Intelligence Relevant in Afghanistan. This report suggested that U.S. intelligence agencies should be more open to sharing information.
In 2016, he co-authored The Field of Fight: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies. This book discusses his views on fighting radical Islam. He also co-authored The Citizen's Guide to Fifth Generation Warfare in 2022. In this book, he writes about how social media can be used as a weapon.
Awards and Recognitions
Flynn has received many awards and honors throughout his career. These include:
- The Ellis Island Medal of Honor
- The 2012 Association of Special Operations Professionals Man of the Year award
- Honorary doctorate from The Institute of World Politics
- The William J. Casey Medal of Honor from the Institute of World Politics
- The Director of Naval Intelligence's Rear Admiral Edwin T. Layton Award for Leadership and Mentorship
- Federal Law Enforcement Foundation's Service to America Award
Images for kids
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Michael Flynn's signature
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Flynn with Vladimir Putin at an RT gala in 2015
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Bijan R. Kian, Flynn's former business associate
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