Trump slams 'witch hunt' amid reports of compromising Russia memo

Donald Trump Tuesday denounced a "political witch hunt" following reports he had been briefed on allegations that Russia holds compromising personal and financial information about him.

"FAKE NEWS - A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!" the president-elect tweeted, after CNN reported that spy chiefs briefing him last week on allegations Russia meddled in the US election had also given him a synopsis of the explosive claims.

Several US media published -- without corroborating its contents -- a 35-page dossier on which the synopsis is based, which includes highly salacious material and had been circulating in Washington circles for months.