Donald Trump sacks national security adviser's son for spreading fake Pizzagate news on Twitter

Michael Flynn Jr no longer part of President-elect's transition team

President-elect Donald Trump with Michael Flynn Sr (Getty Images)

One of Donald Trump's aides has been fired from the President-elect's transition team for sharing a fake 'Pizzagate' news story.

Conspiracy theorists and online trolls had wrongly claimed a Washington DC pizza restaurant was at the centre of a Democratic Party paedophile ring. A man was arrested there on Sunday after firing a rifle inside, having claimed he was "self-investigating" the rumour.

And Michael Flynn Jr, the son of incoming national security adviser Lt Gen Michael Flynn, has lost his job after claiming Pizzagate would "remain a story" until "proven to be false". The New York Times said he was fired, while CBS News reported that he had resigned.

The elder Flynn, 57, has also come under fire for spreading fake news. A Politico review of his Twitter account turned up retweeted posts including one that claimed Hillary Clinton was involved in child sex trafficking.

Mr Trump's team confirmed Mr Flynn, 33, was no longer involved in the transition.

Vice-president-elect Mike Pence told CNN's Jake Tapper: "Mike Flynn Jr is no longer associated with Gen Flynn's efforts or with the transition team."

He had helped "a bit" with "scheduling and administrative items", he claimed.

Mr Pence declined to answer Mr Tapper's questions regarding the suggestion his transition team had asked for security clearance for the general's son.

Edgar Maddison Welch, 28, of North Carolina, has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after the pizzeria incident.

He was arrested after a man entered the Comet Ping Pong pizzeria in Washington DC carrying a gun, which he was said to have pointed at an employee. No one was hurt.