Trump Thought Firing Flynn Would Be End of ‘Russia Thing’

“President Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, believed that the ‘Russia thing’ would end as a side effect from the firing of the national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, in the early days of the administration, according to an account in a new memoir by Chris Christie,” the New York Times reports.

“The incident recounted in Mr. Christie’s book, Let Me Finish, is among the anecdotes describing how the president and Mr. Kushner grappled with a campaign and a presidency that Mr. Christie says neither was prepared for.”

Key takeaway: “Mr. Kushner, whose power has grown recently, appears as a shadow campaign manager and chief of staff in the White House, often giving his father-in-law questionable and problematic advice, according to the book, on topics including Mr. Flynn; how Democrats would perceive the firing of James Comey as F.B.I. director; his initial support for the campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; and how West Wing and key cabinet jobs were filled.”