Newly declassified portions of an email written by former Obama National Security Advisor Susan Rice suggest that retired Army Lt. General Michael Flynn was deliberately excluded from sensitive discussions on Russian interference in the 2016 election. The email, which Rice sent to herself, recounts a January 5, 2017, Oval Office meeting with President Barack Obama, FBI Director James Comey, and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.

In the message, Rice noted that Obama emphasized caution in sharing national security information with the incoming Trump administration, particularly related to Russia. In newly revealed sections, Comey expressed concerns about Flynn’s frequent communications with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. While Comey admitted there was no evidence Flynn had shared classified information, he described the communication as “unusual,” despite such contact being standard for incoming national security advisers.

At the time, Obama administration officials were finalizing an intelligence report on Russian election interference, which insinuated that the Trump campaign may have colluded with Moscow. This report, recently declassified by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, has since been undermined by multiple investigations, including Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s, which found no evidence of collusion.

The newly disclosed contents of Rice’s email raise questions about whether Flynn was being targeted for political reasons even before Trump took office. A Justice Department review later concluded that the FBI “ambushed” Flynn during a pre-inauguration interview. Internal notes indicated agents were weighing whether to get him fired or prosecuted.

Flynn initially pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, a plea he later withdrew. The case against him unraveled amid growing concerns of misconduct, and President Trump ultimately issued a full pardon to Flynn shortly before leaving office.