The US director of National Intelligence has issued a statement revealing a conversation he has had with Donald Trump about the unsubstantiated report claiming Russia had compromising personal and financial information about him.
Outgoing head of US intelligence James Clapper said he expressed his "profound dismay" about the leaked private security company document, and described media reports on the allegations as “corrosive and damaging”.
He added he told Mr Trump it was “not a US Intelligence Community product” and that the intelligence community had "not made any judgement that the information in this document is reliable".
Below is DNI Clapper's statement in full:
This evening, I had the opportunity to speak with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss recent media reports about our briefing last Friday.
I expressed my profound dismay at the leaks that have been appearing in the press, and we both agreed that they are extremely corrosive and damaging to our national security.
We also discussed the private security company document, which was widely circulated in recent months among the media, members of Congress and Congressional staff even before the IC became aware of it.
I emphasised that this document is not a U.S. Intelligence Community product and that I do not believe the leaks came from within the IC. The IC has not made any judgement that the information in this document is reliable, and we did not rely upon it in any way for our conclusions.
However, part of our obligation is to ensure that policymakers are provided with the fullest possible picture of any matters that might affect national security.
President-elect Trump again affirmed his appreciation for all the men and women serving in the Intelligence Community, and I assured him that the IC stands ready to serve his Administration and the American people.
James R. Clapper, Director of National Intelligence
