Trump faces an early test with Republicans over Russia

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is facing an early test with fellow Republicans over U.S. relations with Russia, as lawmakers seek to investigate a CIA assessment that Russia interfered in the November election and issue warnings over the incoming president's potential pick for secretary of state.

Trump said Sunday the recent CIA assertion that Russian hacking had sought to help his candidacy was "ridiculous," and he praised ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, who has emerged as the leading contender to lead the State Department.

[...] McCain, the party's 2008 presidential nominee, questioned whether Trump should nominate Tillerson, citing the executive's longstanding business ties with Moscow.

Russia expects to figure prominently at the start of a week in which Trump is expected to name more members of his Cabinet, which also has vacancies in the departments of Energy, Agriculture and Veterans Affairs.

The CIA recently concluded with "high confidence" that Russia sought to influence the U.S. election on behalf of Trump, raising red flags among lawmakers concerned about the sanctity of the U.S. voting system and potentially straining relations at the start of Trump's administration.

Democrats have warned that plucking Tillerson for State would put the leader of the world's largest oil company in a pivotal role on issues like climate change and the future of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Trump won 306 electoral votes in the election, a comfortable margin to make him the next president when the electoral college meets Dec. 19.