Jim Bourg/Reuters
The CIA reportedly rejected a security clearance for an aide to National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, essentially booting the top confidante from the National Security Council. The aide is the council’s senior director for Africa, Robin Townley, who is a former Marine intelligence officer. According to Politico, the rejection of Townley’s security clearance was approved by CIA Director Mike Pompeo, which “infuriated Flynn and his allies.” The move comes as Flynn is on thin ice after recent reports indicated he discussed sanctions with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. and might have misled other top White House officials about those discussions, including the vice president. It is unclear why Townley’s clearance was rejected, but sources speculated to Politico that it had something to do with his “skepticism of the intelligence community’s techniques.”