Trump answered questions at his first press conference in nearly six months.
At his first press conference in nearly six months, Donald Trump answered questions in the wake of the release of a shocking report that alleges Russia has compromising intelligence on him.
In the lead-up to his first meeting with the press as president-elect, press secretary Sean Spicer and Vice President-elect Mike Pence both denounced BuzzFeed's decision to publish the full text of a dossier that accuses Trump of engaging in "perverted" sexual acts and alleges his campaign surrogates had contact with Putin allies throughout the election.
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Reading from prepared remarks, Spicer called BuzzFeed's move a "sad and pathetic attempt to get clicks." The future VP said the reports can "only attributed to media bias."
"And the American people are sick and tired of it," Pence added, before introducing Trump.
Trump immediately blasted the "nonsense" report, which he said "maybe" came from "intelligence agencies."
"It should never have been written, it should never have been had, it should never have been released," said Trump, who called it "a tremendous blot" on news organizations, namely BuzzFeed and CNN, who the Trump team says published the memos.
Following the press conference, CNN clarified that they published the briefings Trump received, not the memos or the full text dossier. BuzzFeed published the entirety of the unverified claims.
"I'm also very much of a germophobe, believe me," Trump said in an apparent reference to the sexual acts described in the report.
After answering a couple of questions regarding the Russia accusations and hacks, Trump declined to answer a reporter's question regarding his refusal to release his tax returns.
"Only ones who care about my tax returns are the reporters," Trump said, then turned the mic over to an attorney who outlined efforts to sever ties between Trump and his company.
After retaking the stage, Trump would later refer to BuzzFeed as "a failing pile of garbage."
The soon-to-be president also refused to take questions from CNN's Jim Acosta, dismissing his organization as "fake news."
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Other notable moments from the press conference:
- *While claiming the RNC was not successfully hacked, Trump said for the first time that Russia is responsible for the DNC hacks.
- *Trump plans to hand over full control of his company to his sons, while Ivanka Trump intends to sever ties with her family's business.
- *Trump reaffirmed his belief that Obamacare is a "disaster" and pushed for its full repeal and replacement.
- *Also reaffirmed his commitment to building a wall along the Mexican border, for which the U.S. will be "reimbursed."
- *Trump says he will donate profits from foreign government payments to his businesses to the U.S. Treasury.
- *Trump's attorney said the president-elect will not completely divest from his organization because that would be "impossible."
Read: Russia Denies Having Compromising Intel on Trump, Calls Report 'Pulp Fiction'
