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More than a month after formally accusing Russia of attempting to influence the United States' presidential selection process, the White House on Friday discouraged challenges to the legitimacy of the election.

"The Kremlin probably expected that publicity surrounding the disclosures that followed the Russian government-directed compromises of emails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations, would raise questions about the integrity of the election process that could have undermined the legitimacy of the president-elect," said a statement from the administration. "Nevertheless, we stand behind our election results, which accurately reflect the will of the American people."

Meanwhile, an excerpt from a forthcoming book on Hillary Clinton's loss to Donald Trump revealed Friday that Clinton conceded the election at President Obama's urging. While Clinton's campaign wanted to delay concession as long as possible — and some in her inner circle now believe that impulse was correct given their candidate's growing lead in the popular vote — Obama reportedly called to say she needed to go ahead and concede.