The Trump associates who changed their story on Russia

Jeff Sessions
Michael Flynn
Carter Page

Three people associated with Mr Donald Trump's presidential campaign or administration amended earlier denials related to contacts they had with Mr Sergey Kislyak, the Russian Ambassador to the US. The FBI is conducting an investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.

Jeff Sessions, Attorney-General

Mr Sessions, one of Mr Trump's earliest and most prominent supporters, said at his confirmation hearing that he had not met with any Russian official during the 2016 presidential campaign. He later admitted he had met with Mr Kislyak on two separate occasions.

WHAT HE SAID

I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign, and I didn't have - did not have communications with the Russians.

MR SESSIONS

AFTER REPORTS OF THE MEETINGS, MARCH 2

In retrospect, I should have slowed down and said, 'But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times, and that would be the ambassador'.


Michael Flynn, former National Security Adviser

Mr Flynn denied that he had any substantive conversations with Mr Kislyak. He resigned on Feb 13 after it was revealed that he had misled Vice-President Mike Pence about the nature of his conversations with the ambassador.

WHAT WAS SAID

What I can confirm, having spoken to him about it, is that those conversations that happened to occur around the time that the United States took action to expel diplomats had nothing whatsoever to do with those sanctions.

MR PENCE, on Face the Nation, Jan 15

MR FLYNN'S FEB 13 RESIGNATION LETTER

Unfortunately, because of the fast pace of events, I inadvertently briefed the Vice-President-elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian Ambassador.


Carter Page, former foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign

Mr Page said on PBS' NewsHour that he did not have any meetings last year with Russian officials, either in Russia or outside Russia.

WHAT HE SAID

I had no meetings, no meetings.

MR PAGE, in a Feb 15 interview on NewsHour.

MARCH 2 INTERVIEW ON MSNBC

I'm not going to deny that I talked to him.

MR PAGE, about his interaction with Mr Kislyak at the Republican National Convention in July.

NYTIMES

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on March 05, 2017, with the headline The Trump associates who changed their story on Russia. Subscribe