CIA, FBI Directors to be at Trump's Briefing on Russia Hacking on Friday

Trump spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed that the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Director of National Intelligence will attend a scheduled briefing about Russian hacking and the US election with President-elect Donald Trump.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Director of National Intelligence will all attend a scheduled briefing about Russian hacking and the US election with President-elect Donald Trump on Friday in New York City, Trump spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters on Wednesday.

"I can confirm that CIA Director [John] Brennan, FBI Director [James] Comey, and Director of National Intelligence [James] Clapper intend to be present for that briefing on that subject," Spicer stated.

Trump has criticized US intelligence officials over their claims that Russia breached the Democratic National Committee's computer systems.

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump sided with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange against the intelligence community’s claims, repeating Assange's assertion that Russia did not give him the information published by WikiLeaks during the election.

Outgoing President Barack Obama's administration last week ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats, the closure of two Russian diplomatic compounds and new sanctions against six Russian individuals and five entities over Moscow's alleged interference in the 2016 election, which the Kremlin has repeatedly denied.

Russian officials have called the US allegations absurd, noting they are intended to deflect US public opinion from revelations of corruption and other pressing domestic concerns.