Donald Trump rejected the CIA's reported conclusion that Russia intervened to help him win the US election. Photo / AP
Donald Trump rejected the CIA's reported conclusion that Russia intervened to help him win the US election. Photo / AP
Donald Trump has called a recent CIA assessment of Russian hacking "ridiculous", as US senators demanded a probe into the shocking claims.
The CIA recently concluded with "high confidence" that Russia sought to influence the US election on behalf of Mr Trump.
The US President-elect branded the findings "ridiculous", and blamed "very embarrassed" Democrats for their public release, in an interview with Fox News on Sunday.
His remarks come as key congressional Republicans joined Democrats in demanding a bipartisan investigation into the Kremlin's activities.
They also questioned consideration of Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson - who has close business ties with Moscow - as Secretary of State.
TOMORROW on @FoxNewsSunday, in an exclusive interview Pres.-elect Trump talks Tillerson & the Sec. of State choice. Tune in at 2p & 10p ET! pic.twitter.com/702Z7NFyM7
In the Fox News interview, Mr Trump also explained why he is rejecting valuable intelligence briefings.
"I get it when I need it," he said of the top-secret briefings sessions, adding that he's leaving it up to the briefers to decide when a development represents a "change" big enough to notify him. "I don't have to be told the same thing in the same words every single day for the next eight years."
Whether I choose him or not for "State"- Rex Tillerson, the Chairman & CEO of ExxonMobil, is a world class player and dealmaker. Stay tuned!
Influential senators from both the Democrat and Republican parties have intensified calls for an independent investigation of Russian interference in the US election.
Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham issued a joint statement overnight with the incoming Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, and top Armed Services Committee Democrat Jack Reed that Russian interference in the election "should alarm every American."
They said Congress must investigate further without allowing it to become a partisan issue.
"Democrats and Republicans must work together, and across the jurisdictional lines of the Congress, to examine these recent incidents thoroughly and devise comprehensive solutions to deter and defend against further cyber-attacks," Senators Schumer, Reed, McCain and Graham said in the joint statement.
"This cannot become a partisan issue," they added. "The stakes are too high for our country. We are committed to working in this bipartisan manner, and we will seek to unify our colleagues around the goal of investigating and stopping the grave threats that cyber attacks conducted by foreign governments pose to our national security."
Senator Schumer had already called for a congressional inquiry into Russia's influence in the election, saying Democrats would continue to press for one when the new Congress convenes next year.
In a separate interview, Senator McCain backed the CIA's assessment.
"I don't know what to make of [Trump's comments] because it's clear the Russians interfered," he said on US television. "Facts are stubborn things."
He added that a congressional investigation would likely be lengthy and in an "ideal world," he would prefer a select committee on the matter.
Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio tweeted: "Being a 'friend of Vladimir' is not an attribute I am hoping for from a (hash)SecretaryOfState."
Being a "friend of Vladimir" is not an attribute I am hoping for from a #SecretaryOfState - MR
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Moore is planning to lead national protests to disrupt Mr Trump's inauguration in January.
"If by some awful happenstance Trump shows up to be sworn in on January 20th, I will be there helping lead the national protest and non violently disrupting the inauguration of a man no one other than the electoral college elected - and I'll also be doing my own thing as a private citizen (activities I won't disclose now)," Moore said in an interview with the magazine.
"This impending disaster requires everyone to get involved now - all hands on deck! This is not a drill!" he added.
The CIA has determined Russia hacked into our election to help elect Donald J. Trump. Now Trump names Putin best friend as OUR Sec of State!
But Moore, who was one of the few public figures who predicted Mr Trump would win the presidential election, also suggested it would be foolish to assume the President-elect would make it to his inauguration.
"The question assumes [Trump] will be inaugurated. If there's one thing we've learned from this election, don't assume anything that's supposed to happen will," he said. "If I had told you a year ago that a socialist would win nearly half of all the Democratic primaries and caucuses (22), that would have sounded insane.
"If I would have told you that a candidate bragging about his sexual assaults or attacking a Gold Star family would be his path to winning, you would have ended this interview.
Filmmaker Michael Moore accurately predicted Donald Trump would win the US election. Photo / Supplied
"If I would have told you that Donald Trump was going to win, you might have called upon a family member of mine to do an intervention. Oh wait. I did say that! Why was there no intervention?!"
Moore recently suggested Mr Trump was likely to be impeached and suggested he would break the law during his first term as President.
