washington president donald trump dismiss grow controversy tie aid russia thursday ruse scam perpetrate hostile news media deny associate contact moscow last year election leak absolutely real news fake trump tell news conference refer media report presidential campaign team contact russian intelligence officials trump frequently assail news media also say direct former national security adviser michael flynn talk russia ambassador u.s. sanction take office trump say ask justice department look leak classify information give illegally journalists regard relationship aid russia also say think russian president vladimir putin take action would test early term office trump take office jan. 20 voice support improve tie russia add personally business deal country new york time report tuesday phone call record intercept call show members trump presidential campaign trump associate repeat contact senior russian intelligence officials year nov. election trump defeat democrat hillary clinton press reporters whether aware member presidential campaign team contact russia election republican president say nobody know of wary democratic lawmakers challenge republicans control congress thursday conduct credible investigation contact trump associate russia process could take months might never make public u.s. intelligence agencies conclude last year russia hack leak democratic email election campaign part effort tilt vote trump favor trump speak admiringly putin tense relationship former president barack obama moscow 2014 annexation crimea ukraine russian military action syria matter even fellow republicans express unease trump comment putin flynn close adviser trump campaign see moscow lead advocate warm tie russia trump fire flynn monday retire lieutenant general mislead vice president mike pence conversations russian ambassador unite state trump take office regard u.s. sanction moscow flynn tell fbi agents last month discuss sanction russia ambassador trump take office washington post report thursday flynn jan. 24 interview fbi could expose charge since lie agency felony decision prosecute would lie justice department u.s. intelligence agencies intercept flynn call russian ambassador sergei kislyak trump election two discuss sanction post report previously obama impose new sanction russia dec. 29 u.s. intelligence community conclusion moscow interference election campaign u.s. official familiar transcripts call ambassador say flynn indicate russia retaliate could smooth way toward broad discussion improve u.s.-russian relations trump take power potentially illegal law bar unauthorized private citizens interfere dispute unite state countries trump forcefully defend flynn discussion russian ambassador wrong trump tell news conference mike job call countries counterparts certainly would ok ... direct would direct job trump say direct would direct ok say trump add problem flynn mislead pence wealthy new york real estate developer global business interest trump also portray tie russia tell speak nothing russia loan russia deal russia trump say critics president call since election campaign release tax return say would shed light business deal trump say tax affairs audit internal revenue service nothing russia make phone call russia years speak people russia nobody speak trump say trump dismiss russia controversy 'scam hostile media