Did Trump Admit To Obstruction Of Justice In Latest Michael Flynn Tweet?

Political pundits, legal experts and left-leaning social media users say that President Donald Trump’s latest tweet about General Michael Flynn is a clear case of obstruction of justice.

Trump’s Saturday afternoon tweet, reportedly sent while stuck in his Manhattan motorcade, appears to show that Trump knew his former national security adviser Flynn -- who pled guilty to lying to the FBI yesterday -- had lied at the time.

I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He has pled guilty to those lies. It is a shame because his actions during the transition were lawful. There was nothing to hide!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 2, 2017

“I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He has pled guilty to those lies. It is a shame because his actions during the transition were lawful. There was nothing to hide!” Trump tweeted from his personal account Saturday.

Immediately Twitter users across the board pointed to the tweet as “Exhibit A” of an obstruction of justice charge Robert Mueller should use to charge Trump during his Russia collusion probe.

The President asked his FBI Director to let his National Security Advisor off the hook for committing the crime of lying to the FBI. When Comey refused, he was fired.

There’s your obstruction case. https://t.co/Fqi2nZsLwS
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) December 2, 2017

Some viewed Trump's comment as a straight-up "confession" to committing the crime of obstruction due to his apparent knowledge -- at the time -- that Flynn had not only lied to Vice President Mike Pence -- but also to the FBI. Others said the tweet was simply Trump's latest "self destructive" social media disaster.

This is a pretty substantial confession to essential knowledge elements of an obstruction of justice charge. https://t.co/UpQfilPVfJ
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) December 2, 2017

Trump just admitted he fired Mike Flynn knowing he’d lied to the FBI as he was pressuring Comey to end the FBI’s investigation of Flynn. Obstruction of justice doesn’t get more cut and dry.
— Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) December 2, 2017

We now have a winner for most self destructive tweet in history! A confession to obstruction of justice. Trump urged Comey to let Flynn go knowing Flynn was guilty. https://t.co/P4qGWMffJd
— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) December 2, 2017

This MSNBC producer provided a timeline of Trump's potential obstruction claims regarding Flynn:

So the timeline with the implication in this tweet:

Feb. 13: Trump fires Flynn knowing he lied to the FBI

Feb. 14: Trump asks FBI Director Comey to let the investigation go

May 9: Comey is fired

May 11: Trump tells NBC he considered 'this Russia thing' before firing Comey https://t.co/biHO1dr2yx
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 2, 2017