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As it happenedended

White House press conference: Sarah Sanders clashes with reporters over border wall, Michael Flynn and Trump Foundation

Briefing comes a couple of hours after the sentencing hearing for Trump's former national security advisor is delayed

Sarah Harvard
New York
Tuesday 18 December 2018 21:09 GMT
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Trump: FBI said Michael Flynn didn't lie

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The White House has held its first press briifing of the month, with press secretary Sarah Sanders clashing with reporters over the news that the president's charitable Trump Foundation will be dissolved and his former national security advisor Michael Flynn appeared in court for lying to the FBI.

The White House briefing no longer really deserves the "daily" moniker with the last one being held on 27 November. Only two were held in October and one on September.

Ms Sanders said that the delay in sentencing agreed by the judge in the Flynn case was between the former White House aide and the courts.

She added that "there is certainly concern" that Flynn lied but that the courts will determine that.

Ms Sanders referred all questions on the Trump Foundation to the Trump Organisation, saying the White House could not answer.

Questions about the foundation was one of several areas where Ms Sanders exchanged prickly comments with the assembled media.

On the issue of funding for the border wall Mr Trump wants with Mexico, Ms Sanders said that while the president waits for the Congress to pass a spending bill to keep the government open, he is talking to cabinet members about directing funds from their agencies towards the wall.

To see who the press conference unfolded follow our liveblog below

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The briefing ended. Ms Sanders took questions from reporters for only about 10 minutes.

Sarah Harvard18 December 2018 19:24

With that we are ending our coverage. Thanks for reading.

Chris Stevenson18 December 2018 19:44

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