US PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump’s transition team is defending the syndicated talk show host Monica Crowley, named as a communications specialist for the incoming administration, against plagiarism accusations.

CNN reports that Crowley plagiarised large sections of her 2012 book, What The (Bleep) Just Happened.

In its report, CNN says it found more than 50 examples of plagiarism from numerous sources, including copying with no changes or minimal changes from news articles, other columnists and think tanks.

The publisher, HarperCollins’ Broadside Books, had no comment on the CNN report.

Crowley has been named Trump’s director of communications for the White House’s National Security Council.

In response to the CNN report, a Trump transition spokesperson commended Crowley for her “exceptional insight and thoughtful work on how to turn this country around” and said that is “exactly why she will be serving in the administration”.

The Trump transition team says any attempt to discredit Crowley “is nothing more than a politically motivated attack that seeks to distract from the real issues facing this country”.

Russia

Earlier yesterday Trump renewed his call for warmer relations with Russia.

“Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing,” Trump tweeted.

This came a day after intelligence leaders said in a report that Russia meddled in the US election on Trump’s behalf.

Trump says on Twitter that both countries should working together to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Trump has long argued that improving relations with Russia would be a good thing.

He says the U.S. has enough problems around the world and that “Only ‘stupid’ people, or fools” would think improved relations were bad.

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