Trump claims he does not need daily intelligence briefings because he is 'like, a smart person'

Donald Trump insists that he does not need to hear the presidential intelligence briefing on a daily basis because he is "like, a smart person".

The President-elect made the comments to Fox News Sunday host, Chris Wallace on 11 December. Trump has received the briefings on a weekly basis since his historic election victory last month and said the daily updates would be heard by his vice president, Mike Pence.

In 2014, the Republican took to Twitter to accuse Barack Obama of neither reading his intelligence briefings, nor hearing them in person. "Too busy I guess!" he wrote.

Explaining his view on the matter, Trump told Wallace: "I get it when I need it." He added: "These are very good people that are giving me the briefings. And I say: 'If something should change from this point, immediately call me. I'm available on one-minute's notice.'

"I don't have to be told – you know, I'm, like, a smart person. I don't have to be told the same thing in the same words every single day for the next eight years. Could be eight years – but eight years. I don't need that."

The incoming US president insisted that there is little need for him to receive the information because his key advisers are being briefed.

The practice of receiving a daily digest of top intelligence dates back to 15 February 1946 under the 33rd President, Harry S Truman. Today, 16 intelligence agencies feed into the President's Daily Brief (PDB).

According to the CIA, the style, format and presentation of the PDB are based on the incumbent's preferences. The final hard copy edition was printed exactly 68 years after the first daily summary as Obama sought to bring the briefing into the digital age and now receives it in a tablet format.