Russian hacking scandal

Senate probe into election hacking to review possible links

Sen. Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, the committee's chairman, and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, the committee's vice chairman, said in a joint statement that the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the election also will focus on Russian cyberactivity and "active measures" against the US.

Trump pick Tillerson: 'Fair assumption' Putin behind hacks

The former CEO of Exxon Mobil told his Senate confirmation hearing the intelligence report on Russian tampering "clearly is troubling".

His comments came after Senator Marco Rubio pressed Mr Tillerson to admit Mr Putin's role in the cyber-breach.

Mr Tillerson's reported good ties with Mr Putin have alarmed some in the US.

The 64-year-old former corporate titan, who has never worked in government, faced tough questions from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday.

Trump ignores intel community at nation's 'peril'

"The new administration -- and any president -- needs to recognize that this is a challenging and dangerous world, and that the intelligence community and intelligence professionals can help to keep this country safe and protect our national security interests," Brennan told David Axelrod on "The Axe Files," a podcast from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN.

"And any president or administration that does not recognize that is one that is putting this country's national security at great risk and peril," he added.

Donald Trump blasts 'fools' who oppose good Russian ties

Mr Trump vowed to work with Russia "to solve some of the many... pressing problems and issues of the WORLD!"

His comments came after an intelligence reportsaid Russia's president had tried to aid a Trump election victory.

Mr Trump said Democrats were to blame for "gross negligence" in allowing their servers to be hacked.

Adviser contradicts Trump: Russians hacked the US

Former CIA director James Woolsey, an adviser to Trump on national security issues, told CNN's Jim Sciutto that determining who was behind the hacks is difficult, but that he believes the Russians -- and possibly others -- were involved.

"I think the Russians were in there, but it doesn't mean other people weren't, too," he said. "It's often not foolproof to say who it is because it is possible and sometimes easy to hide your tracks. There's lots of tricks."

'No evidence' of Russian hacking effects - Trump aide

"There is zero evidence that they influenced the election," Sean Spicer told Fox News.

Mr Spicer, who was set to be President Trump's press secretary from 20 January, told CNN Mr Trump would see the intelligence report once it was completed later this week.

On Saturday, Mr Trump warned against being quick to pin the blame on Russia for the hacking of US emails.

Obama administration prepares sanctions

The actions are expected to include expanded sanctions and diplomatic measures, the officials said, in what the administration deems a proportional response to a Russian operation that went beyond cyber hacking activities common among nations.

Russia will respond to any "hostile steps" that the US may take in response to allegations of hacking during the 2016 election, according to the official representative for the ministry.

White House: Trump 'obviously' knew Russia hacks were benefiting him

Citing Trump's own suggestion over the summer that Moscow locate missing emails from Hillary Clinton's private server, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the beneficiary of Russia's cyberintrusions was clear.

Donald Trump takes aim at US intelligence community on Russia

In a stunning response to widening claims of a Russian espionage operation targeting the presidential race, Trump's camp risked an early feud with the Intelligence community on which he will rely for top secret assessments of the greatest threats facing the United States.

"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," the transition said in a terse, unsigned statement.

"The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again.'"