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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: 2026-02-23T02:43:00.946Z
article:section: Politics
og:title: Donald Trump Is Attacking America&#x27;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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![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

![President-Elect Donald Trump Holds Press Conference In New York](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt392c002f9ba07eb5/6988b5778e0601a8f9468cdd/gettyimages-631481840.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a news conference at Trump Tower on January 11, 2017 in New York City.

President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a news conference at Trump Tower on January 11, 2017 in New York City. Spencer Platt—Getty Images

![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.


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