Michael Flynn denies calling for a coup (despite video of him doing it)

Michael Flynn has refuted allegations that he said that a military coup should happen in the US, despite video of him doing so.

This was in response to the outcry that followed a video of Mr Flynn participating on a panel at an event during a Dallas fringe political festival, ‘For God & Country Round Up’.

A self-described Marine stood up and asked Mr Flynn, “I want to know why what happen in Myanmar can’t happen here?”

Mr Flynn answered his question by saying: “No reason. I mean, it should happen here.”

However, following a backlash, Mr Flynn appeared to retract his previous statement.

“There is no reason whatsoever for any coup in America, and I do not and have not at any time called for any action of that sort,” he wrote on Telegram.

His comments on Myanmar were, at the time, met with applause from the crowd but have since been called out by veterans of the US army. Among those veterans was retired Lt General Mark Hertling who appeared on CNN to speak out against Mr Flynn, who served in former President Donald Trump’s administration as a national security adviser.

Mr Flynn left his job after it emerged he had not fully disclosed the nature of meetings with the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak that were held prior to Trump taking office.

“I knew him when he was an active soldier. And I think just some of the things he is saying are getting crazier and crazier as the days go on,” Mr Hertling said.

Mr Hertling, who served in the army for 37 years, continued, “Unfortunately, he has, in my view, gone off the deep end and he shouldn’t say those kind of things because it runs contrary to what we vow an oath to defend and what we serve as soldiers and former soldiers in the army.”

In Myanmar, elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi was overthrown by the military, in February and there is a hardline approach to dissidents and those who oppose their rule. According to The Guardian, more than 759 protestors have been killed in the violence, as of a month ago.

In the US, questions about the potential for a coup were answered in December 2020 when the army ruled out getting involved after Mr Trump refused to concede the election.

“There is no role for the US military in determining the outcome of an American election,” said the Army chief of staff on 18 December.

Senior officials within the army have expressed the need to court marshal Mr Flynn over his recent comments, including Lieutent Colonel Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman, who was let go from Trump’s White House for questioning the president’s dealings with Ukraine.

“With these seditious remarks, Comrade Flynn may have crossed the line for recall to active duty and court-martial. As a JAG I’m qualified and also happy to prosecute this case,” he wrote on Twitter. “PS, US mil would NEVER support this. We love America.”