Monday, June 8, 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

    Pakistan Army Called To Rein In Violent Pro-Mumtaz Qadri Protestors

    Pakistan Army Called To Rein In Violent Pro-Mumtaz Qadri Protestors
    The government has called in the army to control the law and order situation.

    Pakistan Army Called To Rein In Violent Pro-Mumtaz Qadri Protestors

    Indian-Origin Law Professor Surya Deva Appointed UN Adviser On Human Rights And Businesses

    Indian-Origin Law Professor Surya Deva Appointed UN Adviser On Human Rights And Businesses
    The Council approved in Geneva on Thursday his appointment to the position formally known as "Special Procedure Mandate Holder".

    Indian-Origin Law Professor Surya Deva Appointed UN Adviser On Human Rights And Businesses

    Post-Quake, Cracks And Holes Develop In Mt Everest

    Post-Quake, Cracks And Holes Develop In Mt Everest
    These ice-fall doctors prepare the route from the base camp to the summit, paving the way for climbers to ascend the peak.

    Post-Quake, Cracks And Holes Develop In Mt Everest

    Arvind Kejriwal Named Among World’s 50 Greatest Leaders By Fortune, PM Modi Not On List

    Arvind Kejriwal Named Among World’s 50 Greatest Leaders By Fortune, PM Modi Not On List
    47-year-old Aam Aadmi Party chief is ranked 42nd on the list and is the sole leader from Ind

    Arvind Kejriwal Named Among World’s 50 Greatest Leaders By Fortune, PM Modi Not On List

    Indian-Origin Woman Restaurateur Surinder Kaur Cheema Is A Hit In Ghana

    Indian-Origin Woman Restaurateur Surinder Kaur Cheema Is A Hit In Ghana
    Surinder Kaur Cheema came to Accra four decades ago from her native Baroda in India's Gujarat state to support her businessman husband. 

    Indian-Origin Woman Restaurateur Surinder Kaur Cheema Is A Hit In Ghana

    Ted Cruz Calls Donald Trump 'Sniveling Coward' As Spat Over Wives Takes Nastier Turn

    Ted Cruz branded Donald Trump a "sniveling coward" as the feud between the Republican presidential contenders over their wives took a nastier turn.

    Ted Cruz Calls Donald Trump 'Sniveling Coward' As Spat Over Wives Takes Nastier Turn