'Sally Yates is a Patriot' trends as supporters celebrate 'heroic' fired Attorney General

Twitter users say President Trump is trying to attack Yates' credibility

Sally Yates (Reuters)

Fans of Sally Yates have taken to Twitter using the hashtag #SallyYatesIsAPatriot to demonstrate their support for the former acting attorney general before she testifies in front of a Senate subcommittee.

Ms Yates is expected to reveal that she warned the Trump administration of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s communications with the Russian ambassador almost a month before he resigned.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and Press Secretary Mr Spicer both asserted that White House counsel investigated Ms Yates’ information and found nothing.

On Twitter, President Donald Trump called on Congress to ask Ms Yates “if she knows how classified information got into the newspapers” – seemingly accusing her of leaking information after talking to the White House.

Several Twitter suggested that Mr Trump’s attacks on Ms Yates were attempts to undermine her credibility, while others said that they can't wait for her "to skewer" the president.

#SallyYatesIsAPatriot originated in late January, after Mr Trump fired Ms Yates when she refused to uphold his executive order imposing a travel and refugee ban on certain countries. Ms Yates was an Obama administration appointee who took on the role of acting attorney general until Congress confirmed Mr Trump’s pick, Jeff Sessions.