Opinion: Dear Donald, sometimes silence is golden

There's a technological battle going on right now between the US and Russia - and the former Soviet Union has just won the first round.

This high-tech war is every bit as terrifying as the actual cold war was in Vietnam and Korea last century, but this time the proxy war is largely based in cyberspace.

It's hard to argue that Russia's hacking campaign during the 2016 US election didn't play some part in the result.

President-elect Donald Trump is at the heart of the new battle, and may yet become its biggest casualty.

If we're to believe recent revelations that Russia has obtained sensitive personal information on the billionaire businessman turned politician, then Mr Trump's presidency could already be compromised.

Does the Russian government now hold power over the President-elect?

It sounds like a science fiction film similar to Hollywood favourite The Manchurian Candidate from 1959, which depicts US soldiers taken prisoner in Korea being brainwashed and placed back in the US under Soviet control.

Does this narrative sound familiar Homeland fans?

Mr Trump has of course denied everything, lashing out at media giant CNN, which broke the story, as a 'fake news' organisation.

It's hard to see the matter going quietly into the night.

The Russian hacking scandal and Mr Trump's supposed links to the country will follow him into the White House like a rancid bad smell, likely to contaminate many of his early decisions as President.

So with Russia winning this first battle of the new tech-era Cold War, what will the US do to upstage them in the next?

At his news conference on Thursday morning, President-elect Trump didn't offer any retaliation measures; he simply attacked those people and organisations who had questioned his possible links to Russia.

Silence is golden Mr Trump.

Newshub.