A top White House aide has declined several opportunities to defend national security adviser Michael Flynn, who has come under fire for phone conversations he had with a Russian diplomat before President Donald Trump's inauguration.
"It's not for me to tell you what's in the president's mind," Stephen Miller told NBC TV when repeatedly pressed on whether Trump still had confidence in Flynn.
"That's a question for the president," he added.
Miller said the White House did not give him anything specific to say about Flynn for Miller's appearances on the Sunday TV news shows.
Miller called it "an important matter" best answered by Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, or chief of staff Reince Priebus.
The Washington Post reported Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia in a series of phone calls with the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergei Kislyak, late last year, before Trump's inauguration.
Flynn initially denied he discussed sanctions in the calls. However, after a report was published by The Washington Post, he said he could not recall if the subject came up during the calls.
The Obama administration imposed the sanctions in retaliation for Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.
Trump has yet to comment on the allegations against Flynn, saying at one point he was not aware of the reports.