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What was in those stacks of manila folders?

NEW YORK - In the aftermath of President-elect Donald Trump's closely watched news conference Wednesday, a burning question remains: What, exactly, was in those folders stacked on the desk next to him?

NEW YORK - In the aftermath of President-elect Donald Trump's closely watched news conference Wednesday, a burning question remains: What, exactly, was in those folders stacked on the desk next to him?

The campaign wouldn't let reporters look at them. Trump never got around to discussing the documents. Some of the folders weren't labeled.

That leaves it possible the public won't ever know precisely what the pile of papers was - other than another of Trump's stage props.

On Wednesday, the six stacks of manila folders were full of the documentation and agreements making official his decision to turn his business empire over to his sons Don Jr. and Eric, Trump said. With great flourish, four young staffers carried the piles - in front of snapping cameras - and placed them on the table next to Trump's lectern in the minutes before the start of the news conference, his first since July.

"These papers are just some of the many documents that I've signed turning over complete and total control to my sons," Trump said in the lobby of Trump Tower.

But neither Trump nor his lawyer ever picked up, displayed, or referenced specifically any of the documents inside. After the news conference concluded, transition staffers blocked reporters from looking at them. And some photos of the news conference show folders without labels and, in some cases, seemingly blank pages inside, setting off a torrent of speculation on social media.

Transition officials noted that the Trump business empire was large and complicated, consisting of hundreds of entities, and that a massive amount of paperwork was required. A Trump spokeswoman on Thursday flatly denied there was anything misleading about the display.

"As Mr. Trump stated at the press conference, they were just some of the documents required to transition his assets into the trust and additional restructuring," said Hope Hicks.

Hicks did not respond to a second request for an inspection of the documents. And materials sent to reporters about the new Trump Organization structure in the hours after the news conference totaled only six pages.

In transition developments Thursday:

• The Trump team announced former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will become an adviser on cybersecurity. Giuliani had been considered for several cabinet-level post, including secretary of state, but eventually pulled himself out of running.

• Trump reportedly is tapping two more people with ties to Goldman Sachs to top jobs. Anthony Scaramucci, a fund-raiser during the campaign, will be tasked with outreach to the U.S. business and political community. And Goldman Sachs partner Dina Powell is in line to be assistant to the president and senior counselor for economic initiatives.