Michael Flynn is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who served as the National Security Advisor under President Donald Trump for a brief period in 2017. He was previously the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2012 to 2014, where he focused on intelligence and military operations. Flynn gained significant attention for his controversial connections to Russia and his subsequent legal troubles. He pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials, although he later sought to withdraw his plea. His case became a focal point in discussions about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.