Donald Trump is finding himself caught between his desire to improve relations with Russia and fellow Republicans who are pushing for a harsher response to what American spy agencies say was the Kremlin’s meddling in the US election. The tacit acknowledgement by his incoming chief of staff, Reince Priebus, that Russia was behind the hacking of Democratic Party organisations suggests that Trump’s maneuvering room could be shrinking. Trump has long been dismissive of the US intelligence conclusion that Russia was behind the election hacks, which Russia has denied, or was trying to help him win the November ballot, saying the intrusions could have been carried out by China or a 400-pound hacker sitting on his bed.