Donald Trump's transition team has confirmed that Michael Flynn Jr., the son of Trump's national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, has lost his job. The announcement follows a series of tweets in which Flynn Jr. fanned the #Pizzagate conspiracy theory.
SEE ALSO:An armed vigilante decided to investigate 'Pizzagate,' is quickly arrestedFlynn, 33, "was helping his father with some administration and scheduling duties early on in the transition process," Trump team spokesman Jason Miller said, adding that he is "no longer involved with the transition efforts."
In one of his tweets, Flynn Jr said: "Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it'll remain a story. The left seems to forget #PodestaEmails and the many "coincidences" tied to it."
Tweet may have been deleted
Earlier this week, the #Pizzagate hoax led to a gunman firing shots inside the restaurant. The gunman, 28-year-old, Edgar Maddison Welch of Salisbury, North Carolina, was arrested after entering Comet Ping Pong armed with an assault rifle and firing a shot.
Welch claimed he was investigating conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton and campaign chairman John Podesta running a child sex ring inside of the pizzeria.
Though the The New York Timesdebunked the fake news story back in November, the buzz generated on social media sites continued.
While the Trump team confirmed Flynn's departure, it didn't confirm it was related to the tweets.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence acknowledged Tuesday that the younger Flynn was helping his father with scheduling and administrative items during the presidential transition, but told CNN"that's no longer the case."
Asked repeatedly whether a security clearance was requested, Pence refused to answer directly. "Whatever the appropriate paperwork was to assist him in that regard, Jake, I'm sure was taking place," he said.
Gen. Flynn, 57, also posted fake news on social media.
Less than a week before the election, he tweeted a link to a story that falsely claimed Clinton emails contained proof of money laundering and sex crimes involving children, among other illegal activities. The incoming national security adviser called the baseless story a "must read" and instructed his followers: "U decide."
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
TopicsDonald Trump
(责任编辑：娛樂)
Felix the cat just raised £5000 for charity because she's the hero we all need
Brexit just got a whole lot more interesting
Kid Cudi performed his first post
iPhone 8 might come with wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy Note7 teardown reveals the magic behind the phone's iris scannerSingapore gets world's first driverless taxis
SINGAPORE -- The world's first self-driving taxis started picking up passengers in Singapore on Thur
...[详细]Donald Trump and Eric Trump both peeped on their wives' ballots
We're sure Donald Trump is confident that he has the vote of his wife Melania, noted Michelle Obama
...[详细]Brands fly the 'W' to mark the Cubs' historic win
The Chicago Cubs' losing streak has earned them a special place in America's heart.So it's no surpri
...[详细]The Story Behind Chicago Cubs Fans' W Flags
Hey, Chicago, what do you say? Fly the freaking W today. As the Cubs broke 108 years of "There's alw
...[详细]More than half of women in advertising have faced sexual harassment, report says
If you are a woman in advertising, chances are you've faced workplace sexual harassment at one point
...[详细]The underrated presidency of George H.W. Bush
Editor's note: This is the 41st entry in the writer's project to read one book about each of the U.S
...[详细]The actual threat Russia poses on Election Day
A power grid hack on Election Day seems like a nightmare scenario. We can all envision how it would
...[详细]The Flash: Killer Frost is coming and Caitlin's in trouble in Season 3
VANCOUVER, B.C. -- No member of The Flashcast has undergone more changes than Tom Cavanagh, who has
...[详细]J.K. Rowling makes 'Harry Potter' joke about Olympics event
LONDON -- For anyone who isn't familiar with the Olympics omnium events in the velodrome, the points
...[详细]Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen's kids tried candy and it creeped them out
Prepare to hear a ghost story about one of the spookiest devils around -- processed sugar.Tom Brady
...[详细]