DONALD Trump has slammed the US intelligence community, accusing the FBI, NSA and CIA of giving out damaging leaks “like candy”.

The president is clearly seething over fresh allegations that members of his presidential campaign team were in frequent contact with Russian intelligence officers before last year’s election. The allegations, outlined in reports by CNN and the New York Times yesterday, are based on information from current and former American intelligence officials.

Leaks also led to the downfall of Mr Trump’s national security adviser, General Michael Flynn. The president asked Gen Flynn to resign after the public learned he had lied about discussing sanctions with Russia’s ambassador to the United States.

media_camera Donald Trump speaking at a press conference today. Pic: AP

At a press conference today, Mr Trump said Gen Flynn had “been treated very, very unfairly” by “the fake media” and was a victim of “criminal” leaking.

“From intelligence, papers are being leaked, things are being leaked, it’s criminal action. It’s a criminal act, and it’s been going on for a long time before me, but now it’s really going on,” Mr Trump said. “People are trying to cover up for a terrible loss that the Democrats had under Hillary Clinton.”

The president’s comments came several hours after a barrage of early morning tweets, in which he claimed the persistent leaks were “the real scandal”.

This Russian connection non-sense is merely an attempt to cover-up the many mistakes made in Hillary Clinton's losing campaign. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2017

Thank you to Eli Lake of The Bloomberg View - "The NSA & FBI...should not interfere in our politics...and is" Very serious situation for USA — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2017

The real scandal here is that classified information is illegally given out by "intelligence" like candy. Very un-American! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2017

Yesterday’s explosive stories claimed Mr Trump’s associates were in contact with the Russians throughout the election campaign. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies reportedly intercepted calls from Mr Trump’s advisers and obtained phone records, at around the same time they found evidence Russia was trying to influence the election.

The agencies attempted to find out whether Mr Trump’s campaign was colluding with Russia to release damaging information about Hillary Clinton, but found no evidence.

Meanwhile, Gen Flynn stepped down after just three weeks in the pivotal role of national security adviser, where he served as the liaison between Mr Trump and the intelligence agencies. His position had grown increasingly untenable amid accusations he lied to the public and Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with the Russian ambassador.

According to a Washington Post report, published hours before Gen Flynn resigned, Mr Trump was warned about his adviser’s dishonesty in January, and told Gen Flynn was “potentially vulnerable to blackmail” by Russia. Gen Flynn was nevertheless allowed to remain in his job for weeks thereafter - a fact the White House has struggled to explain.

media_camera That’s General Flynn on the right. Pic: AP

TRUMP STEPS BACK FROM TWO STATE SOLUTION

Mr Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House on Wednesday, where he reaffirmed America’s “unbreakable bond” with the nation.

In a significant change of US policy, the president indicated he wasn’t wedded to the “two state solution” as a fix for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr Trump said “two-state looked like it will be the easier of the two,” but added that if Israel and the Palestinians were to find an alternative they like better, he would support that option.

He said the Palestinians are “taught tremendous hate”, but pledged to work hard to deliver “really a great peace deal”.

Mr Trump said Israel faces enormous security challenges and called the Iran nuclear deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama “one of the worst deals I’ve ever seen”.

Mr Netanyahu called on Mr Trump to “let us seize this moment” in seeking new avenues of peace in the Middle East.

He also said he believes reversing the “rising tide of radical Islam” is also possible with Mr Trump leading the United States, adding that Arab countries in the region “don’t see Israel as the enemy”.

In response to a question about the expansion of Israeli settlements, Mr Trump asked his counterpart to “hold back on settlements for a little bit”.

media_camera President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House. Picture: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Mr Trump’s efforts to improve relations could potentially be aided by son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who attended the press conference with his wife, Ivanka.

“I’ve known the president and his family for a long time and there’s no greater support of the Jewish people and the Jewish state than President Donald Trump,” Mr Netanyahu said.

Mr Trump and his wife, Melania, greeted Mr Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, at the south entrance to the White House.

The leaders shook hands and the prime minister kissed Mrs Trump on the cheek. Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu embraced as they entered the White House and went straight into the press conference.

media_camera US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcome Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, as they arrive at the White House in Washington, DC. Picture: AFP/Saul Loeb

KREMLIN DENIES CLAIMS OF RUSSIAN LINK

The Kremlin has called claims of Russian contact with Trump aides during the election campaign “absolutely groundless.”

“Let us not believe in what media say, for nowadays it is very difficult to tell actual news from fake ones,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Russia News Agency.

“Let us not rely on unidentified source. These reports are absolutely groundless, not based on any facts.”

However the spokesman also maintained that contact between US and Russian officials is normal, saying “working contacts are maintained.”

“Representatives of the US embassy in Russia communicate with Russian officials, meet with foreign ministry officers. The US diplomats also meet with representatives of the Russian regions, they also travel the country, which is a common diplomatic practice,” Mr Peskov added.

media_camera Russian President Vladimir Putin. Picture: Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

REPUBLICANS SHAKEN, DEMOCRATS ACT

The Russia revelations have infuriated Democrats and unsettled Republican leaders wary about Mr Trump’s professed desire for better relations with Moscow.

“This ongoing story is a perfect piece of evidence as to why we should not trust Russia,” House Speaker Paul Ryan told MSNBC.

Republicans and Democratic lawmakers have now called for an investigation into what happened, although they differ sharply on the scope and powers of the probe.

media_camera US President Donald Trump speaks to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Picture: AFP/Saul Loeb

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called a meeting of Democratic senators to discuss the resignation of General Flynn and published reports about contacts between Trump’s campaign and Moscow.

Leading Democrat, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, is pressing the Democrats’ case for an independent investigation.

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren insisted that Mr Trump “owes Americans a full account” of his campaign and administration’s dealings with Moscow.

The Senate’s top Republican Mitch McConnell said it was “highly likely” that General Flynn would have to testify before an intelligence panel.

Congress must pull its head out of the sand and launch a real, bipartisan, transparent inquiry into Russia. Our natl security is at stake. — Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 14, 2017

PAYNE TO MEET US DEFENCE SECRETARY

Defence Minister Marise Payne is set to have the first face-to-face meeting with US Defence Secretary James Mattis to discuss defence and security issues.

Senator Payne will also meet with NATO defence ministers in Brussels to discuss the military campaign in Iraq and Syria against Islamic State extremists.

On Wednesday, Mattis told America’s NATO allies that if they don’t cough up more cash for defence the US could “moderate” its commitment to the decades-old treaty.

“I owe it to you all to give you clarity on the political reality in the United States, and to state the fair demand from my country’s people in concrete terms,” he said in a closed-door meeting, The New York Post reports.

“America will meet its responsibilities, but if your nations do not want to see America moderate its commitment to the alliance, each of your capitals needs to show its support for our common defence.”

Mr Trump called the NATO alliance “obsolete” on the campaign trail, a comment that rattled the UK, France and Germany.

media_camera US Defence Minister James Mattis. Picture: AFP/Emmanuel Dunand media_camera Australian Minister for Defence Marise Payne. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

KELLYANNE CONWAY BLACKLISTED FROM US PROGRAM

MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski has announced that she refuses to book White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway on US news program Morning Joe.

“We know for a fact she tries to book herself on this show,” Ms Brzezinski said.

“I won’t do it, ‘cuz I don’t believe in fake news or information that is not true. And that is — every time I’ve ever seen her on television, something’s askew, off or incorrect.”

Her co-host Joe Scarborough said Ms Conway texted TV producers to get air time.

“She’s in none of the key meetings,” Mr Scarborough said.

“She goes out and books herself often. ... I don’t even think she’s saying something that she knows to be untrue. She’s just saying things, just to get in front of the TV set and prove her relevance because behind the scenes — behind the scenes, she’s not in these meetings.”

Conway blacklisted

TRUMP CALLS TURNBULL A ‘BRAWLER’

Mr Trump reportedly described Malcolm Turnbull as a “brawler” following their alleged explosive phone call over the Nauru asylum-seeker deal.

The US president is believed to have told a senior staff member he was impressed with Mr Turnbull’s uncompromising response during the 20-minute call, US sources told The Australian’s Simon Benson.

“There is a brawler there,” Mr Trump is believed to have told the staff member. “Not what I expected of him. He is no shrinking poppy (sic).’’

Mr Trump then said he had “no issues with the Aussies”.

media_camera The alleged explosive phone call between US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made headlines around the world. Picture: Supplied

Originally published as Trump fumes over damning leaks