Updated January 06, 2017 20:08:11
US Vice-President Joe Biden has issued a stern warning to President-elect Donald Trump, telling him to "grow up" and "be an adult" in regard to his attacks on the US intelligence community.
Key points:
- Trump has repeatedly cast doubt over US intelligence claims that Russia staged cyber attacks
- Biden says the behaviour is "dangerous" but assumes Mr Trump's behaviour will change on Jan 20th
- Mr Trump is due to be officially briefed on the cyber attacks
Top US intelligence official James Clapper has told Congress he is "even more resolute" in his belief that Russia staged cyber attacks on Democrats in the 2016 election campaign.
But Mr Trump has repeatedly taken to social media to reject the allegations.
In an interview with PBS NewsHour, Mr Biden said it was time for Mr Trump "to be an adult".
"You're President. You've got to do something. Show us what you have," Mr Biden said.
Mr Biden said it was "dangerous" for the President-elect to publicly criticise the US intelligence community and "absolutely mindless" for a President not to have confidence in or listen to the agencies.
He said it would be legitimate to question intelligence and ask for more detail or disagree, but that Mr Trump was claiming he knew more than the experts.
Mr Biden described Mr Trump's comments as akin to saying: "I know more about physics than my professor".
Striking a notably more positive tone about the incoming president, Mr Biden remarked that Mr Trump was surrounding himself with "very smart people" like retired Marine Corps General James Mattis, the billionaire businessman's pick for Defence Secretary.
Asked at a press briefing on Thursday whether he had full confidence in US intelligence agencies, now-Speaker Paul Ryan offered a tepid endorsement of the intelligence agencies that began and ended on a note of criticism.
"Well, they don't always get everything right. We've seen that clearly," Mr Ryan said.
"But I do have faith that our men and women in our intelligence community are doing an incredible job, sacrificing for our country. But there's always room for improvement."
US Intelligence 'resolute' on Russian involvement
Mr Trump will be briefed by intelligence agency chiefs on Friday (local time) on the hacks.
In his address at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Mr Clapper said he had a very high level of confidence that Russia hacked Democratic Party institutions and operatives.
"Our assessment now is even more resolute than it was on October 7 when the Government first publicly accused Russia," Mr Clapper said.
An unclassified version of the intelligence review of Russian interference in the election would be made public early next week and would assign a motive for the attacks, Mr Clapper said.
AP/ABC
First posted January 06, 2017 19:43:09
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