Son of security advisor dismissed

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump has himself peddled fake news before fictitious news articles began to be called fake news. As US president-elect, though, he sees things differently and has fired a transition team staff member for the same offence.

Michael Flynn Jr, son of Trump’s national security adviser, was sacked after he continued to flog a fake story about a Washington DC pizzeria being a hub of a child abuse ring allegedly linked to Hillary Clinton campaign, even after a gunman showed up there and opened fire.

Flynn’s firing has also put the spotlight on his father, retired general Michael Flynn, who as national security adviser will have Trump’s ear. The senior Flynn has pushed fake news of the kind himself, specially rightwing conspiracy theories.

As did his boss, who for many years kept up the fiction of President Barack Obama being born outside the US, to argue he was not qualified to be president. He recanted only recently, and is now claiming he really likes Obama. Flynn senior is also known for his anti-Muslims and anti-semitic remarks, having said in one instance that fear of Muslims was “rational” and compared Islam to “cancer”.

Critics are calling for Trump to dump him, which appears unlikely, but the son, who had worked as his father’s chief of staff earlier and was preparing to continue to work for him, has been fired.

This is the tweet that precipitated it: “Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it’ll remain a story. The left seems to forget #PodestaEmail and the many ‘coincidences’ tied to it.” The Indian president and prime minister use jets from a fleet of Boeing 747s with the call sign Air India One that are customised for “VIP travel”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to get an upgraded Boeing 777-300 The Chinese president uses a modified commercial aircraft, usually a Boeing 747-400 from Air China. China was to order a Boeing jet for the president in 2001 but backed out over 27 listening devices in the plane Two Boeing 747-400s used by the Japanese prime minister are known as “seifu senyo ki” or, in English, as Air Force One. But he shares it with the Emperor. They are also available to transport citizens during emergencies The French president uses an Airbus A330-200 referred to as Cotam Unité. The aircraft, refurbished at a cost of $243 million, is rumoured to be equipped with a bathtub and a pizza oven