Monday, June 15, 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

    New Zealand PM John Key Hails Indian Diaspora On Independence Day

    In his message to the Indian diaspora on the occasion of India's 69th Independence Day, he said: "As prime minister, I value the contributions Indian New Zealanders are making to the overall success of our country."

    New Zealand PM John Key Hails Indian Diaspora On Independence Day

    CF strikes ISIL in Iraq and Syria as DND slips into silent mode for campaign

    CF strikes ISIL in Iraq and Syria as DND slips into silent mode for campaign
    OTTAWA — Canadian warplanes have conducted 29 air strikes against Islamic State positions and units, including one in Syria, during the last month.

    CF strikes ISIL in Iraq and Syria as DND slips into silent mode for campaign

    Indian-American Cousins Convicted Of Murder Conspiracy

    Indian-American Cousins Convicted Of Murder Conspiracy
    A court in the US has convicted two Indian-American cousins of conspiring to commit murder, a media report said.

    Indian-American Cousins Convicted Of Murder Conspiracy

    Restaurants Ordered To Cook All Oysters From B.C. As Bacterial Illness Spreads

    Restaurants Ordered To Cook All Oysters From B.C. As Bacterial Illness Spreads
    Vancouver Coastal Health has asked restaurants to take increased precautions when serving oysters as more illnesses are reported.

    Restaurants Ordered To Cook All Oysters From B.C. As Bacterial Illness Spreads

    Environmental Groups Begin Testimony Into Whether CSIS Spying Broke The Law

    Environmental Groups Begin Testimony Into Whether CSIS Spying Broke The Law
    VANCOUVER — A lawyer representing environmental groups alleging they were illegally snooped on by Canada's spy agency can't tell clients about his testimony in a closed-door hearing in Vancouver.

    Environmental Groups Begin Testimony Into Whether CSIS Spying Broke The Law

    Bobby Jindal Mocks Hillary Clinton Over Email Saga

    Amid reports that Clinton's use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state was under investigation, Jindal Wednesday mocked Hillary Clinton with a prison joke, saying, "Orange really is the new black."

    Bobby Jindal Mocks Hillary Clinton Over Email Saga