White House

Craig Deare was removed from his role as a senior adviser at the National Security Council's Western Hemisphere division Friday and "sent back to his original position," said Sarah Sanders, a White House spokeswoman. Deare had been assigned to the NSC by the Trump administration.

Without elaborating, Michael Flynn told White House reporters: "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice."

Washington earlier declared the test to be "absolutely unacceptable".

Iran confirmed on Wednesday it had tested a missile over the weekend, but denied violating a UN Security Council resolution.

Mr Flynn did not provide any further details of what actions the US may be planning in response to the test, which Pentagon officials say failed upon re-entry into the earth's atmosphere.

Mrs May will be the first foreign leader to meet the new president after his inauguration.

A post-Brexit free trade deal is thought likely to be high on her agenda as she travels to the US for talks.

Confirmation of the meeting came as hundreds of thousands of people around the world joined women's marches to protest Mr Trump's presidency.

Mr Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer gave details of Mrs May's visit in his first briefing to journalists at the White House on Saturday.

"There's a whole kind of Chucky element to them. They're a little creepy," he told People Magazine.

When First Lady Michelle joked about putting one in their bedroom Mr Obama said he would move out if he saw one there.

But that didn't stop White House staff having a go at scaring him.

Official White House photographer Pete Souza explained the prank on his Instagram page.

Even as President Barack Obama seeks to maintain an amicable relationship with Trump in an attempt to influence his successor's agenda, the public spat between aides over Russia's hacking has turned into the type of bitter back-and-forth the White House initially sought to avoid in the days immediately following the election.

Also fueling the rhetoric: Democrats' complaints the White House was slow in confronting Russia's hacking in the final days of the presidential campaign, a claim the White House disputes.

Ben Rhodes, adviser to President Barack Obama, said that Mr Putin maintains tight control on government operations, which suggests that he was aware.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest added that it was "pretty obvious" that Mr Putin was involved.

Officials in Russia have repeatedly denied hacking accusations.

"Everything we know about how Russia operates and how Putin controls that government would suggest that, again, when you're talking about a significant cyber intrusion like this, we're talking about the highest levels of government," Mr Rhodes said.

Citing Trump's own suggestion over the summer that Moscow locate missing emails from Hillary Clinton's private server, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the beneficiary of Russia's cyberintrusions was clear.

Press Secretary Josh Earnest dismissed the president-elect's unsubstantiated allegations that millions of people had cast illegal votes.

Mr Trump also alleged voter fraud in Virginia, New Hampshire and California, states which Hillary Clinton won.

Mr Earnest deferred to Mr Trump's team for further comment.

"What I can say, as an objective fact, is that there has been no evidence produced to substantiate a claim like that," he told reporters at a White House briefing.

The response will be "proportional," press secretary Josh Earnest said, without elaborating. He said the actions would likely not be announced ahead of time and could never be made public.

Speaking with reporters on Air Force One, Earnest said a "range" of responses were on the table.

Last Friday's announcement was the first time the government has publicly blamed another country for hacking with the goal of influencing a US election.

As a staff photographer, for one and a half terms, his candid shots of "Dutch" and Nancy loosened the stiff collar of office, and brought humanity and intimacy to the administration.

When George H.W. Bush took over, Souza returned to freelancing. Years later he began covering a young senator from Illinois, who would one day assume the highest office in the land.

Since that day in January 2009, Souza has barely left President Obama's side.