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title: Donald Trump Slams Intelligence Community Over Russia Report
description: Donald Trump once again blamed the intelligence community the recent leak of unsubstantiated reports about his activities in Russia
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author: Tessa Berenson
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article:published_time: 2017-01-13T13:32:31.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T07:13:32.331Z
article:section: Politics
og:title: Donald Trump Is Attacking America's Intelligence Community Again
og:description: His latest pushback against allegations about activities in Russia
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og:image:alt: President-Elect Donald Trump Holds Press Conference In New York
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twitter:description: His latest pushback against allegations about activities in Russia
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# Donald Trump Is Attacking America's Intelligence Community Again

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SPuibc6H.m3u8" -->
## Video: Donald Trump's First News Conference Since Presidential Election

[Watch (HLS stream): Donald Trump's First News Conference Since Presidential Election](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SPuibc6H.m3u8) (2:17)

![Donald Trump's First News Conference Since Presidential Election](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/SPuibc6H/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2017-01-11. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday denied and denounced an unsubstantiated report that said Russia had compromising information about him, calling it an “absolute disgrace” during the first news conference he has hosted in about six months._


![Tessa Berenson](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltec0484fe1b20c577/698a0ced86f68ed9d96ee9e6/tessa-berenson-author-2020.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)


![Tessa Berenson](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltec0484fe1b20c577/698a0ced86f68ed9d96ee9e6/tessa-berenson-author-2020.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Tessa Berenson


Jan 13, 2017 1:32 PM UTC

![Tessa Berenson](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltec0484fe1b20c577/698a0ced86f68ed9d96ee9e6/tessa-berenson-author-2020.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)


![Tessa Berenson](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltec0484fe1b20c577/698a0ced86f68ed9d96ee9e6/tessa-berenson-author-2020.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Tessa Berenson


Jan 13, 2017 1:32 PM UTC

[Donald Trump](http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2016-donald-trump/) once again blamed the intelligence community [the recent leak of unsubstantiated reports about his activities in Russia](http://time.com/4631012/donald-trump-russia-report/), writing in a series of Twitter posts on Friday morning that “there is no proof, and never will be.”

“It now turns out that the phony allegations against me were put together by my political opponents and a failed spy afraid of being sued,” Trump began his tweetstorm, likely referencing reports that the super PAC behind his primary opponent Jeb Bush paid for the opposition research. ([Bush’s team has denied this](http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/bush-camp-we-had-nothing-to-do-with-russian-dirt-on-trump/2309422).)

Trump continued in two subsequent tweets, one of which relied on Russia’s word over the briefing he reportedly received from top American intelligence officials: “Totally made up facts by sleazebag political operatives, both Democrats and Republicans – FAKE NEWS! Russia says nothing exists. Probably…released by “Intelligence” even knowing there is no proof, and never will be. My people will have a full report on hacking within 90 days!”

> [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/819863039902097408)

> [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/819864373988573184)


> [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/819865802849587200)

**In this week’s magazine:** [Russia, a Dossier of Rumors and a President-Elect](http://time.com/4632664/russia-a-dossier-of-rumors-and-a-president-elect/?iid=sr-link1)

[CNN reported](http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/donald-trump-intelligence-report-russia/) earlier this week that Trump had been briefed on an unverified dossier claiming that Russia had compromising information about him. The following day, Trump held his first news conference since the election, during which he dismissed the information as “fake news” and “phony stuff,” and began blaming the intelligence community for leaking the documents. “That was released by maybe the intelligence agencies, who knows, but maybe the intelligence agencies, which would be a tremendous blot on their record if they in fact did that,” [Trump said at the press conference](http://time.com/4631349/donald-trump-news-conference-russia/?iid=sr-link3) Wednesday.



## Transcript

As far as hacking, I think it was Russia. But I think we also get hacked by other countries, and other people. Hacking's bad, and it shouldn't be done. But look at the things that were hacked, look at what was learned from that hacking. I saw the information, I read the information outside of that meeting. It's all fake news, it's phony stuff. It didn't happen, and it was gotten by opponents of ours. I have no dealings with Russia. I have no deals in Russia. I have no deals that could have been in Russia because we've stayed away. And I have no loans with Russia. Does anyone really believe that story?

I'm also very much of a germaphobe, by the way. My two sons who are right here, Don and Eric, are going to be running the company. They are going to be running it in a very professional manner. They're not gonna discuss it with me. I'll be making the decision on who we will put up for Justice of the United States Supreme Court. A replacement for the great great Justice Scalia. That will be probably within two weeks of the 20th. I don't feel like waiting a year or a year and a half. We're gonna start building. Mexico in some form, and there are many different forms, will reimburse us. And they will reimburse us for the cost of the wall.

That will happen. Whether it's a tax, or whether it's a payment, probably less likely that it's a payment. Well I'm not really seeing the tax returns, cuz as you know they're under audit. [ INAUDIBLE ] G I have never heard that. Ooh the G I have never heard that. I have never heard that. You know the only one who cares about my tax returns are the reporters okay. They are the only ones. No I dont think so. I won. I mean I became president. Go ahead. No not you. Not you your organisation is terrible. Your organization's terrible, let's go. Sir, sir. Go ahead. Quiet, quiet. Go ahead, she's asking a question, don't be rude.

Can you give us a question? Don't be rude. Can you give us a question? Don't be rude, no I'm not going to give you a question. You are fake news. Go ahead.

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