Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a pardon to Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser who admitted lying about contacts with a Russian diplomat, the president’s first grant of clemency to an ally since losing re-election.
The pardon is the latest sign that Mr Trump has accepted his time in the White House is drawing to a close, despite his insistence in a telephone call to a public gathering of Pennsylvania Republicans earlier in the day that he had won the election.
“It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon. Congratulations to @GenFlynn and his wonderful family, I know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving!” Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.