Trump military adviser’s son kicked off transition team for promoting bizarre ‘Pizzagate’ conspiracy theory

Michael Flynn Jnr and his father, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, have both used social media to accuse Democrats of being involved in child prostitution ring operating out of Washington pizzeria

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Retired Lt. Gen Michael Flynn with his son at Trump Tower in New York. Photo: AP

Published: 12:15pm, 7 Dec 2016Updated: 10:34pm, 7 Dec 2016

The son of the top national security adviser to US president-elect Donald Trump has been removed from the new administration’s transition team after promoting a bogus conspiracy theory that inspired a shooting incident in Washington, according to people familiar with the matter.

Michael Flynn and his father, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn – Trump’s designated national security adviser – have both used their social media accounts to promote fabricated claims, including allegations that aides to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton were involved in a child prostitution ring.

But the younger Flynn had renewed his support for the baseless allegation even after a North Carolina man armed with an assault rifle arrived at a pizzeria in Northwest Washington on Sunday to investigate the fictitious crime. The shooter, police said, fired at least two rounds at the restaurant before he was arrested. No one was hurt.

“Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it’ll remain a story,” Flynn posted on Twitter just hours after the shooting, referring to a conspiracy theory circulated by right-wing groups that alleged – falsely – that the Comet Ping Pong pizza restaurant served as a front for child abuse by Democratic operatives.

The tweet was the latest instance in which the Michael Flynn, 33, who has served as his father’s chief of staff and scheduler, has propagated phoney news stories and incendiary views.

His dismissal appeared to mark the first time the Trump transition team had held one of its insiders to account for such activity. The younger Flynn had a transition team email address but is believed to have had a limited role, serving mainly as an aide to his father. The son appeared to have shut down his Facebook, where he had also posted incendiary images and material.