Trump tells Flynn to take immunity amid 'witch hunt'

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - President Donald Trump told a former top advisor on Friday to seek immunity from prosecution because the press and Democrats are carrying out a targeted campaign against him.

"Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!" Trump wrote in an early-morning tweet.

The announcement comes one day after Flynn's lawyer said he would agree to testify before Congress regarding the Trump team's ties to Russia in exchange for full clemency.

The decorated Army general served as Trump's national security advisor for 24 days - a record short for anyone holding the position. Flynn resigned from the post amid a scandal exposed by the media that he misled senior Trump officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, about his contacts with Russia's envoy to Washington.

Flynn and Trump have made statements in the past that appear to infer immunity deals are signs of guilt.

It is unclear if Trump and Flynn still hold the views they touted on the campaign trail, but the announcement that Flynn is open to taking a deal adds further questions to the Trump campaign's alleged ties with Russia.

Since July, the FBI has been conducting an investigation into Russia's alleged interference in last year's presidential election, and the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russian officials.

The Kremlin has consistently denied any role in the election despite findings of America's intelligence community to the contrary.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told an American morning show that relations between Moscow and Washington are "maybe even worse" than the Cold War.

He claimed during an interview with ABC News that allegations of Russia's interference in the Nov. 8 polls are "fake news" and "slander".