WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he had pardoned Michael Flynn, the former security advisor whose lies about his Russian contacts spurred the troubling investigation into Trump campaign collusion with Moscow.

The pardon, which was expected, came in the final weeks of Trump's presidency, two years of which was spent fighting the allegations that he had overseen and sought to cover up a dangerous scheme of cooperation with Russia. Flynn had pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI in the early days of that investigation, and was forced to resign as Trump's national security advisor in February 2017, less than four weeks into the administration.

But after pleading guilty, twice, to a Washington federal court, the former Pentagon intelligence chief did an about-face, seeking to withdraw his plea just prior to sentencing.

"It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon," Trump tweeted, wishing the retired army lieutenant general a "truly fantastic Thanksgiving!" holiday.

Flynn was initially targeted in an FBI counterintelligence investigation after he held secret phone calls with the Russian ambassador to the United States in December 2016, after Trump's election victory but before he took office.