▁had ▁already ▁critic ized ▁his ▁close ▁relations ▁with ▁Russia , ▁and ▁his ▁promotion ▁of ▁anti - Cl inton ▁consp i racy ▁theories ▁and ▁fake ▁news ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁president ial ▁campaign . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁F lyn n ▁met ▁with ▁Hein z - Christ ian ▁Stra che , ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁right - wing ▁popul ist ▁Fre edom ▁Party ▁of ▁Austria ▁( FP Ö ), ▁at ▁Trump ▁Tower ▁in ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁F lyn n ▁spoke ▁with ▁Russian ▁amb assador ▁Serge y ▁K is ly ak , ▁the ▁same ▁day ▁the ▁Ob ama ▁administration ▁announced ▁ret ali atory ▁measures ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁inter ference ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁U . S . ▁president ial ▁campaign ▁by ▁the ▁Russian ▁government . ▁The ▁phone ▁conversation ▁was ▁reported ly ▁viewed ▁by ▁Ob ama ▁advis ers ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁brief ed ▁on ▁its ▁content ▁by ▁the ▁F . B . I . ▁with ▁susp icion ▁as ▁possibly ▁a ▁secret ▁deal ▁between ▁the ▁incoming ▁team ▁and ▁Moscow , ▁which ▁could ▁have ▁viol ated ▁the ▁d orm ant ▁Log an ▁Act ▁that ▁bars ▁una ut hor ized ▁U . S . ▁citizens ▁from ▁negoti ating ▁with ▁foreign ▁powers ▁in ▁disput es ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁day ▁after ▁reporting ▁by ▁David ▁Ign ati us , ▁Trump ' s ▁incoming ▁press ▁secretary , ▁Se an ▁Sp ic er ▁said ▁the ▁conversation ▁had