WASHINGTON — Most Washington lawmakers are in lockstep with U.S. intelligence officials’ views on Russia: Vladimir Putin isn't an ally, Julian Assange isn’t credible and Russia unequivocally had a hand in the 2016 election.

But then there’s President-elect Donald Trump, whose intermittent praise of Putin and statements casting doubt on U.S. intelligence reports of Russia’s involvement are causing many Capitol Hill Republicans heartburn.

Some are privately expressing bewilderment over the nature of the incoming president’s social media statements toward Russia. But few Republican lawmakers — save for Arizona Sen. John McCain and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who led hearings this week over Kremlin meddling — are willing to openly question them.

Texas Republicans are cautious when trying to explain why Trump has yet to embrace reports that the Kremlin sought to influence the election through hacks, or to answer whether he’s getting off on the wrong foot with intelligence officials.

Even on Friday, when Trump received a classified briefing on Russia’s involvement, the incoming president gave little indication he’s changed his mind about the veracity of the findings. He did declare “tremendous respect” for the men and women working for those agencies. And he later tweeted that "having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only 'stupid' people, or fools, would think that it is bad!"

Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only "stupid" people, or fools, would think that it is bad! We..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2017

“I will say he [Trump] acknowledged that Mr. Putin is not our friend,” House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Austin, said Thursday, referring to previous discussions he’s had with Trump.

“Once Mr. Trump has his team in place — Mike Pompeo as CIA director, Dan Coats perhaps as the next director of national intelligence — he’ll have more confidence in his team,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate.

“How he is handling his relationship with [intelligence officials] now, versus what it will be after the 20th, it’s all up to him,” said Midland Rep. Mike Conaway, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee.

Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on whether the Russians were behind the email hacks into the Democratic National Committee, telling Fox News in December that the intelligence community's findings were "ridiculous."

He's shown support for the widely ridiculed Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, which published the DNC's internal emails, by retweeting statements by Assange suggesting a "14-year-old" could have hacked into the political party's servers. Assange has also said Russia was not the source of the emails.

And this week, Trump also took to Twitter to speculate that intelligence agencies delayed a briefing with him on the matter, tweeting: “The ‘Intelligence’ briefing on so-called ‘Russian hacking’ was delayed until Friday, perhaps more time needed to build a case. Very strange!”

The "Intelligence" briefing on so-called "Russian hacking" was delayed until Friday, perhaps more time needed to build a case. Very strange! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017

Intelligence officials later said the briefing was always scheduled for Friday, NBC News reported.

Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, James Clapper, director of the National Intelligence office, said Trump’s tweets have prompted “expressions of concern from foreign counterparts” about what has been “interpreted as disparagement of the U.S. Intelligence Community.”

James Clapper, director of National Intelligence, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday. (Stephen Crowley/The New York Times)

Graham, during the highly anticipated Senate hearing, sent this message to the incoming president: "It's OK to challenge intelligence; you're absolutely correct to do so. But what I don't want you to do is undermine our nation in this arena until you are absolutely sure they need to be undermined."

Trump has since accused the media of misrepresenting his views on Twitter and declared this week that he’s a “big fan” of “Intelligence.”

The dishonest media likes saying that I am in Agreement with Julian Assange - wrong. I simply state what he states, it is for the people.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2017

to make up their own minds as to the truth. The media lies to make it look like I am against "Intelligence" when in fact I am a big fan! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2017

House Speaker Paul Ryan said this week that while there’s no doubt Russia sought to influence the election, he believes Trump is pushing back on attempts from the left to “try to delegitimize” his victory.

“He won clearly and convincingly. Russia didn’t tell Hillary to not go to Wisconsin or Michigan; they didn’t put the server in her basement or the stuff on Anthony Weiner’s laptop,” Ryan said, referring to missteps and scandals that plagued the Clinton campaign. “Now, having said that, do we ever condone any foreign actor, any outside interference from messing with our elections? Of course not.”

In a statement after his briefing, Trump said that while "Russia, China" and other actors are continually seeking to breach the U.S. cyber infrastructure, "there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election, including the fact that there was no tampering whatsoever with voting machines."

Intelligence officials made clear Russia didn't tamper with voting machines, but alleged that it launched a multi-faceted cyber campaign that included hacking into the DNC and spreading propagandic or "fake news" to undermine Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Tyler Rep. Louie Gohmert said Trump is right to be skeptical, calling Russia’s alleged involvement a “red herring” that overshadows the more damning exchanges within the DNC’s leaked emails.

Gohmert specifically referred to an email from Clinton’s campaign manager to John Podesta, the campaign’s chairman, that appeared to make a joke about Catholics and evangelical Christians.

Gohmert, too, appeared unconvinced Russia was behind the breach, saying: “We should seek to find who did it and they should be punished.”

Dallas Rep. Pete Sessions wouldn’t speculate whether Trump’s statements about the intelligence agencies undermine American confidence in them. But Sessions, whose father served as FBI director from 1987 to 1993, said Trump should specify how those agencies should improve.

“If you’re going to offer what some people believe is criticism, come back with constructive feedback,” said Sessions, chairman of the House Rules Committee.

A few Republicans are already weary of answering questions about the incoming president's positions.

“I can’t control what he believes or says, and shouldn’t try to. We’re an independent branch of government, and so the intelligence community also reports to us,” said House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Clarendon.

“Our job is to try to understand the information ... and communicate it as best we can,” he added. “If we do our job, it’s going to be up to the president-elect to do his job.”

Staff writer Todd J. Gillman contributed to this report.