Trump's former NSA may cooperate with Mueller's Russia-Trump probe
What's the story
Lawyers representing former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn have reportedly informed President Donald Trump's legal team that they can't discuss the investigation into Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
This suggests that Flynn may be cooperating with prosecutors in the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller.
Flynn resigned in February following revelations that he concealed information about his contacts with Russia.
14 Feb 2017
Trump's NSA Michael Flynn resigns over Russia links
In February, US President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was reportedly forced to resigned.
The move came after several news-outlets reported that former acting attorney general Sally Q. Yates had warned the White House that Flynn may have been vulnerable to blackmail from Russia.
Flynn had reportedly spoken to the Russian ambassador about sanctions prior to Trump's inauguration and misled US officials.
Explained
Flynn a key figure in Mueller's "obstruction of justice" investigation
Flynn, a retired three-star general, was a strong Trump supporter during the election campaign who called for closer ties to Russia.
He is a key figure in Mueller's investigation into the Trump team's alleged collusion with Russia.
More importantly, "Flynn is at the center of the obstruction of justice piece of the investigation, which impacts on the president directly," an expert said.
Star witness
Could Flynn emerge as Mueller's star witness?
Generally, defense lawyers regularly share information with each other during major criminal investigations.
However, if one of the suspects is looking to negotiate a deal with prosecutors, the information sharing can become unethical.
It isn't confirmed whether Flynn is negotiating a deal with Mueller.
However, if such a deal comes through, Flynn would likely emerge as the star witness in Mueller's investigation.