In an in-depth “tick-tock” review of the tumultuous 24-day tenure of Michael Flynn as National Security Advisor, NBC News depicts a White House in upheaval after learning Flynn had been lying to the Administration and the FBI, contrasted with a President who didn’t care about the national security implications for fear of damaging his own image.

Contrary to public statements that Flynn didn’t think he had done anything improper in his discussions with FBI agents about conversations he had with Russian government officials, Flynn was concerned enough to stand over his assistant in the West Wing as she researched criminal defense lawyers online the day of his meeting with them.

Among the other revelations in the report:

• Now outgoing-president Donald Trump seemed unfazed by the accusations, as outlined by McGahn in a meeting, also attended by advisor Steve Bannon and then-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.  Trump asked him to review the situation multiple times, finally commenting, “Not again, this guy, this stuff.”  Trump had been growing aggravated with Flynn throughout the transition and the early days in office in what one source called a “personality clash.”  Another told NBC News, “He couldn’t stand Mike Flynn.  He wanted to fire Flynn before he even got to the White House.”

• Many on the White House staff were aware of Flynn’s lie one day after his interview with the FBI, after acting Attorney General Sally Yates informed White House Counsel Don McGahn.  Flynn, however, continued to lie to White House staff for weeks after McGahn was informed.
• Flynn also lied to White House staff, and apparently the President, about income he received acting as an agent for the Turkish government.
• Vice President Mike Pence wasn’t informed of Flynn’s lies until the information became public, 15 days after the incident.
• Flynn believed he was in legal trouble to the extent that he started searching for a criminal defense lawyer hours after the FBI interview, even before the White House was made aware of his lies.
• Using his official White House email account, Flynn apparently tried to “spoof” an email from deputy White House counsel John Eisenberg, who was also legal advisor to the National Security Council, to acting Deputy Attorney General Mary McCord.  Flynn, posing as Eisenberg, wanted to set up a secure phone call to follow up on Yates’ meeting with McGahn.  Eisenberg later brushed this off as claiming he was in a meeting with Flynn the day the email was sent, and accidentally took the wrong cell phone, apparently Flynn’s, after the meeting.  Coincidentally, Eisenberg claimed, he and Flynn had the same password for their phones, and Eisenberg sent the email from Flynn’s phone not realizing they had swapped phones.  (Obviously, this excuse is highly problematic.)
• Trump didn’t directly confront Flynn about the issue until February 6th, almost two weeks after McGahn had briefed Trump about Flynn’s lies and deception.  In a departure from his previous steadfast denials, Flynn told Trump he might have discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador Kislyak during the December phone call.
• Two days after meeting with Trump, Flynn had an interview with a Washington Post reporter in which he insisted multiple times that he did not discuss sanctions with Kislyak.
• At 10 p.m. ET, hours after his interview with the Post reporter, Flynn contacted the National Security Council spokesperson, Michael Anton and told him that he actually may have discussed sanctions with Kislyak.  Anton called the Post and tried to get them to alter its reporting of Flynn’s denials.  The Post refused.
• The Post published the story online at 9:30 p.m ET on February 9th, 2017.  As it made its way through the White House, staff grew increasingly angry at Flynn.  This is when the Vice President learned of Flynn’s lie.
• According to the NBC account, “Pence was smoldering” when he learned Flynn had lied to Pence.  Pence had been interviewed on a network news show where he had claimed Flynn never discussed sanctions, based on Flynn’s statement to Pence.
• Flynn accompanied Trump, on Air Force One, to a weekend retreat with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Mar-a-Lago.  When Trump saw Flynn at the Florida property, he remarked to an aide, “What’s he doing here?” even though Flynn had been on the same plane as Trump and Flynn had participated in meeting with Abe at the White House in the previous days.
• On February 13th, after conversations with senior advisors, Trump told Priebus to draft a letter of resignation for Flynn.  Priebus presented the letter to Flynn, but Flynn wanted to write his own.  Flynn signed the letter given to him by Priebus.
• Flynn wanted to personally say good-bye to the president, so Priebus escorted him to the Oval Office.  Trumped hugged Flynn and told him, “We’ll give you a good recommendation.  You’re a good guy. We’ll take care of you.”