Materials used by mr. Clapper and others available to them to brief donald trump but it was never discussed in the briefing. The briefing was oral, no place at trump tower to contain top secret documents. No documents were turned over. Intelligence officials go further and say as far as they are concerned, they agree that none of the investigations have foundny conclusionive or direct link between donald trump and the russian government period. Hallie jackson is at the News Conference, we got a preview of this News Conference already. We did. You could see tsts it was a tweet storm this morning with donald trump strongly denying this, calling it fake news and questioning whether we were living in nazi germany. I can tell you about 30 seconds ago, staffers came out filled with paper next to where hell be speaking. This is his First Press Conference as president elect, nearly six months. There are a lot of questions facing him, not just about on reporting on russia but how he will separate his business interest from his interest in leading the nation. Lester. Chuck todd, this comes hours after president obama delivered his Farewell Speech in chicago. Will this be somewhat of a rebuttal . I dont think it will be anymore. He has a real challenge in front of him. His credibility and credibility of the american president being called into question by one Political Party and people in capitol hill. And his job today is to figure out what is he going to do or say particularly on the russia story that starts a process that attempts to restore the credibility of the presidency. He needs to figure out how we need to get to the bottom of all of this. There is so much in the air. Theres so much uncertainty here. Were nine days from his inauguration and were in an unprecedented situation where there needs to be a next level of seriousness here and urgency about getting to the bottom of this russian story. At the same time, of course, we know some of his cabinet picks are up for confirmation hearings and Andrea Mitchell is at the tillerson confirmation hearing for secretary of state. We understand things are getting quite heated there. Theres fireworks and from a key republican senator marco rubio taking on Rex Tillerson on whether he can be tough enough against russia on cyber hacking and whether or not he would advise donald trump to repeal the executive order sanctioning putin and other colleagues in the russian intelligence on the russian hacking and also whether he would say that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal for what has happened in aleppo. Tillerson pushed back saying that he had questioning whether Vladimir Putin is personally responsible for murdering journalist. He said that he did believe the Intelligence Report on russian hacking, something that donald trump has not been able to say that he would hold up the possibility of continuing the sanctions but he would not get into a discussion about war crimes on Vladimir Putin. Lester. Watching that hearing for us and were told were about three minutes from the president elect coming down and again, this first News Conference of any kind really taking a few questions outside the elevator but first formal News Conference since the election. Back to these allegations that surfaced yesterday, it helps his argument, you know, against the media. Look, politically, hes got a buzz feed, the organization that decided to fun lickly re this unverified filled with unsubstantiated claims against president. There are specifics he can deny but the problem were in now, this is much bigger you can deny and your supporters can believe youre denying it all. Thats the political favor that buzz feed did here by releasing this. But the bigger picture, is were in a situation where the next president of the United States, what he does on putin and sanctions and crimea and all of those things, whatever action he takes, theres going to be a seed of doubt. Was that influenced by a relationship that he may or may not have with Vladimir Putin . Does he owe the russians anything. Is he sympathetic more sympathetic there are too many questions. Its imperative on him and his own presidency, he should want to get to the bottom of this. Smart thing to do, we need and get to the bottom of what russia did. If he did that, it would calm the waters big time. Hell come out and based on his tweets say he did not receive that information and hell be correct based on what based on our reporting. Why was it part of this addendum if the Intelligence Community didnt believe it to be true, says it wasnt verified . And it was context. They wanted it available, were told so that if they felt they needed to explain to the president elect the difference between vetted intelligence, ie the russians did try to participate and influence our election and disinformation out there. They had it available and had information about Hillary Clinton and the clinton foundation, not verified, not believed, not intelligent. As a way to say hey, we see that other stuff out there but we understand the difference. In trying to explain to the president elect just political. Were show you just political. This is the political junk thats out there, we dont believe it. They never got there in the briefing. The real consequence is this though, if president if a President Trump needs to sanction or make the case to strike say north korea, lets say we think north korea is on the verge of having a Nuclear Weapon and were basing it on intelligence, this issue of distrust betweened president elect and Intelligence Community is a rift that will be cited around the world. This is no longer a political problem in this country. This is a problem for americas credibility around the world. Obviously, one of the big topics well hear shortly when the president elect emerges. Hallie jackson, what else desh a lot of questions we havent been able to ask. Its a pretty full plate. Earlier this week the president elect came down and answered questions from reporters who have been gathering here to look at the comings and goings of the upstairs and repeatedly the president elect pushed off questions until today. Saying ill address that on wednesday. His relationship with russia and Intelligence Community and frankly, its not just about his conflict of interest but i expect when the president elect comes out, youll see that headline for him, possibly for his attorneys, perhaps members of his family who will join him. We do expect for example his sons will end up taking over the Trump Organization business. But in addition to that, look what is happening in congress. You just heard from Andrea Mitchell, the issue of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care act, which the complain pledged donald trump made repeatedly is front in center in washington and the president elect will have to answer questions what kind of plan he favors. Does he want repeal and replace simultaneously. Is that possible . What is his plan to ensure that as House Speaker paul ryan and others have said, people are currently covered under the Affordable Care act, will repealed. In addition to that,less a laundry list of questions on syria and iran and domestic policy too. The president elect came into office, essentially leading a very divided nation. So will he speak to that today . Looking over a crowd of hundreds of journalists who have made the trip here to trump tower to see what the president elect has to say. It was scheduled to get under way at 11 00. To give you a background, typically in a president ial News Conference we get a two minute warnings and we work from that. We got the twominute warning here but some sort of delay as they prepare for the News Conference. Chuck, not only Affordable Care act, lets talk about the wall, another promise, dismantling the iran nuclear deal. So many questions about the candidate and what the reality of governing will be. Thats right. I think the other part the conflct was supposed to be that press conference. This was a postponed press conference from his initial announcement he was going to do one in december to talk about how he was going to run the businesses. The last time he did a News Conference it was the infamous News Conference where he called out russia if youre listening, go find Hillary Clintons missing emails. So i expect a lot of fireworks at this press conference it does seem if donald trum p not happy this morning by the tone of his tweet. I think its much i think this russia issue is so much bigger now than Everything Else on the agenda that i dont know unless hes looking for it as a lifeline. Lets not minimize the business the president has never been in this posin, the white house. Were in a full your brain is blowing up here. The whole idea of whats happening nine days before the election, imagine the reaction before the inauguration. Imagine in the kremlin today we talked to russia experts this morning and said the russians shall just sitting back laughing. If their intention is u. S. Intelligence that was originally to throw shade on the u. S. Democracy on our process, man, have they more than achieved their goal. They already succeeded. If this were another country we were looking at and right before its transfer of power, we were from the outside this is what it could look like, that the Intelligence Community and incoming president are at war with each other, we would say, boy that country is under a political crisis. Thats what the world is seeing right now. Thats where its sort of like it feels as if were talking about Health Care Tax reform, it feels so small given the fact that a credibility of the command the next commander in chief has been called into play. Jared kushner just walked in the room and hell be one of the new senior advisers to the new administration. Lets go back to hallie jackson. Who else is in the room . Basically all of his top advisers, let me bring you in the room. Theres a bank of elevators to my right here next to where the podium is set up. We do expect to see the president elect when he comes down probably any minute from now. Saw Kellyanne Conway and Donald Trumps soninlaw, taking on a senior advisory role and steve bannon the chief strategist and other members of the family. I believe standing behind me here you can see jared kushner. I see for example economic adviser gary koenz arudy giuliai as well. T this is a tumultuous 18month campaign and eight days out from the inauguration, the president elect has his top west wing team in place. They have gathered in the lobby. Theres a blue curtain separating the members of the media from secret service and other personnel further back in the trump tower lobby but right now all of the trump advisers are standing to wait to see what the president elect will have to say. There have been stacks of manila folders placed out on display, the table in front of the podium. All indications are the president elect should be coming down any minute. Were told by sources that the top staff behind me here has been very involved in figuring out how the president elect will separate himself from his business interest. Im looking at the elevator because the president elect is coming up now. You see him waiting, esident elect donald trump entering the room now and making his way towards the microphone. The first News Conference since the election. One scheduled in september that was thanks for being here. Were nine days away from the inauguration of the next president and Vice President of the United States. Its an opportunity to be here today to allow the president elect take your questions. After the president elect takes marks, well introduce a prominent attorney in washington, d. C. With the prestigious form of morgan lewis who structured the agreement pursuant to the president s business arrangement and will give brief remarks. Before we start, i want to bring your attention to a few points on report published in buzz feed. Its frankly outrageous and highly responsible for a left wing blog openly hostile to the president elects campaign to draw up sal lashs and false information on the internet days before he takes the oath of office. According to buzz feeds own editor, there are some in the report. The executive editor of the New York Times dismissed the report by saying it was totally unas you say substance shated and many other concerns expressed on the internet. The buzz feed and cnn made this claim to come up with this claim is a satd and pathetic attempt to gets hits. Inissue talked about was the relationship of three individuals associated with the paul. These three individuals, carter page is an individual who the president elect does not know and was put on notice months ago by the campaign. Paul manafort denied this development and Michael Cohen said to have visited prague did not leave or enter the united stat we asked him to produce his passport to confirm his whereabouts on the dates in question, there was no doubt he was not in prague. He has never been in prague. A new report actually suggests that Michael Cohen was at the university of Southern California with his son at the baseball game. One report now suggested apparently its another Michael Cohen. For all of the talk lately about fake news this political witch hunt is based on flimsy reporting and shameful and disgraceful. With that, it is my honor to introduce the next Vice President of the United States, mike pence. We are nine days away from the inauguration of the 45th president of the of america. [ applause ] im profoundly honored and humbled that i will take the oath of office to serve as Vice President of the United States. Nine days from today but im even more honored to stand shoulder to shoulder with a new president who will make America Great again. [ applause ] now, the president elects leadership and energy during the campaign was impressive. As chairman of the transition effort, i can assure the American People that his energy and vision during the course of this transition has been more inspiring. The way he has brought together men and women of extraordinary capability at a historic piece, 19 cabinet officials have been announced and 9 Committee Hearings scheduled and seven more on the books in the next severalay a compilation of men and women with an unprecedented caliber of leadership and background to help this administration move our nation forward. Thats why theres been a concerted effort by some in the Mainstream Media to delegitimize this election and demean our incoming administration. I have long been a supporter of a free and independent press and always will be. But with freedom comes responsibility. And the irresponsible decision of a few news organizations to run with a false and unsubstantiated report when most news organizations resisted the temptation to prol pull gate this fake news can only be attributed to media bias and attempt to demean the president elect and the American People are sick and tired of it. [ applause ] today well get back to real news. To real facts. And the Real Progress are incoming president has already made in reviving the American Economy and assembling a team that will make America Great again. Well hear from the president elect about issues that are of paramount importance to the American People today. It is my honor to introduce to all of you my friend and president elect of the United States of america, donald trump. [ applause thank you very much, we used to give News Conferences on an almost daily basis and maybe won the nomination because of News Conferences and its good to be with you. We stop giving them because were getting quite a i have to say and must say i want to thank a lot of the news organizations here today because released by maybe the intelligence agencies, who knows, but maybe the intelligence agencies, which would be a tremendous blot on their record if they in fact did that. A tremendous blot. Because a thing like that should have never been written. It should never have been had and certainly never have been released. But i want to thank a lot of the news organizations for some of whom have not treated me very well over the years and couple in particular, they came out so strongly against that fake news and the fact it was written about by primarily one group