Obama being briefed on Russia hacking report

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama is being briefed on a classified report about Russian and other foreign meddling in U.S. elections.

Spokesman Josh Earnest says senior members of Obama's national security team are briefing him.

Earnest says Obama has asked intelligence officials to also brief members of Congress and the incoming president. President-elect Donald Trump's briefing is scheduled for Friday in New York.

Russian hacking was also the subject of a Senate Armed Service Committee hearing at which Director of National Intelligence James Clapper declined to characterize the hacking as an "act of war."

Earnest also declined to characterize the hacking as war, but he says Obama takes the issue "quite seriously."