Sunday, May 31, 2026
ADVT 
International

Donald Trump's Wire-Tapping Claims Simply False: Obama Spokesman

The Canadian Press, 04 Mar, 2017 12:42 PM
    US President Donald Trump's accusation that his predecessor Barack Obama had his "wires tapped" in Trump Tower before Election Day is "simply false", Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said on Saturday.
     
    "A cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice," Xinhua news agency quoted Lewis as saying in a statement.
     
    "As part of that practice, neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false," said Lewis.
     
    Trump claimed in a tweet storm on Saturday morning that Obama had wiretapped Trump Tower before his election victory, but offered no evidence.
     
    Trump said: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my ‘wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"
     
    He also called Obama a "bad, or sick, guy". 
     
    "Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wiretapping' a race for President prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!" Trump added in subsequent tweets. 
     
    "I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!"
     
    The President then compared the alleged surveillance of his communications to Watergate -- the scandal in the early 1970s that brought down Republican President Richard Nixon after he ordered a break-in of the Democrats' Washington headquarters.
     
    However, Trump did not immediately provide evidence that Obama was responsible for surveillance on his property, the Hill newspaper reported.
     
     
    Moments earlier, Trump had also linked Obama to Attorney General Jeff Sessions's meetings last year with Russia's ambassador to Washington.
     
    "The first meeting Jeff Sessions had with the Russian Amb was set up by the Obama Administration under education programme for 100 Ambs," he tweeted.
     
    Sessions on Thursday said he would recuse himself from any investigations into Russia's links to Trump's team, after massive outrage over the revelations that he met Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice during the campaign, then denied doing so during his confirmation hearings.
     
    Trump also blasted Obama for meeting Kislyak 22 times and tweeted: "Just out: The same Russian Ambassador that met Jeff Sessions visited the Obama White House 22 times, and 4 times last year alone."
     
    Trump's team has sought to push back on accusations of ties with Russia by pointing out instances of Democrats meeting Kislyak, according to the report. 
     
    Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was ousted last month after revelations that he misled top White House officials about the nature of his conversations with Kislyak.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Dominican Police Arrest 15-Year-Old Girl In Slaying Of Elderly Canadian

    Dominican Police Arrest 15-Year-Old Girl In Slaying Of Elderly Canadian
      Nelson Rosario says the girl is in custody and will be prosecuted as a juvenile.

    Dominican Police Arrest 15-Year-Old Girl In Slaying Of Elderly Canadian

    Justin Trudeau Suggests To China: Improve Your Image By Tightening Ties With Canada

    Justin Trudeau Suggests To China: Improve Your Image By Tightening Ties With Canada
    The prime minister tried to sell China on the idea that strengthening its connection to Canada would ease international concerns about the stunning rise of the economic superpower.

    Justin Trudeau Suggests To China: Improve Your Image By Tightening Ties With Canada

    'Ice Road Truckers' Star Darrell Ward Dies In Plane Crash

    'Ice Road Truckers' Star Darrell Ward Dies In Plane Crash
    Darrell Ward, star of popular reality series "Ice Road Truckers", was killed in a plane crash at the age of 52.

    'Ice Road Truckers' Star Darrell Ward Dies In Plane Crash

    US Has Not Reprimanded Envoy Over Picture With Michelle Obama, Says Pakistan

    US Has Not Reprimanded Envoy Over Picture With Michelle Obama, Says Pakistan
    Pakistan today rejected as "baseless" the reports that US has reprimanded its ambassador in Washington after he tweeted an image of him and his wife with the first lady Michelle Obama.

    US Has Not Reprimanded Envoy Over Picture With Michelle Obama, Says Pakistan

    Niagara House Fire That Drew U.S. Response Was Case Of Arson: Police

    Niagara House Fire That Drew U.S. Response Was Case Of Arson: Police
    Police say the fire in the city of Niagara Falls, Ont., was at a vacant home that was destroyed in the overnight blaze.

    Niagara House Fire That Drew U.S. Response Was Case Of Arson: Police

    Gupta Family Wants To Sell All Shareholding In South Africa

    Implicated in a corruption scandal, the wealthy Indian Gupta family on Saturday announced its intention to sell all of its shareholding in South Africa by the end of the year.

    Gupta Family Wants To Sell All Shareholding In South Africa