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Trump Obama: FBI chief Comey 'rejects' phone tap allegation Trump Obama: FBI chief Comey 'rejects' phone tap allegation
(35 minutes later)
FBI director James Comey has rejected President Donald Trump's claim on Saturday that his predecessor, Barack Obama, tapped his phone, US media say.FBI director James Comey has rejected President Donald Trump's claim on Saturday that his predecessor, Barack Obama, tapped his phone, US media say.
Mr Comey reportedly asked the US justice department to reject the allegation Mr Obama ordered a wiretap during last year's election campaign.Mr Comey reportedly asked the US justice department to reject the allegation Mr Obama ordered a wiretap during last year's election campaign.
He is said to have asked for the correction because it falsely insinuates that the FBI broke the law.He is said to have asked for the correction because it falsely insinuates that the FBI broke the law.
The development was reported by the New York Times and confirmed by NBC.The development was reported by the New York Times and confirmed by NBC.
The justice department did not issue any immediate statement in response to Mr Comey's reported request.The justice department did not issue any immediate statement in response to Mr Comey's reported request.
US media quoted officials as saying that Mr Comey believed there was no evidence to support Mr Trump's allegation.US media quoted officials as saying that Mr Comey believed there was no evidence to support Mr Trump's allegation.
The Republican president, who faces intense scrutiny over alleged Russian interference in support of his presidential bid, has offered no evidence to support his allegation that phones at Trump Tower were tapped last year.
Multiple inquiries
The New York Times and NBC reports came as the White House called on Congress to investigate whether the Obama administration had abused its powers.The New York Times and NBC reports came as the White House called on Congress to investigate whether the Obama administration had abused its powers.
Both Congress and the FBI are currently investigating contacts between the Trump election campaign and Russian officials, after US intelligence agencies assessed that Russia had interfered with the election to help Mr Trump win against his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said there had been "very troubling" reports "concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election".White House press secretary Sean Spicer said there had been "very troubling" reports "concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election".
Mr Trump called the alleged tapping "Nixon/Watergate", referring to the notorious political scandal of 1972, which led to the downfall of President Richard Nixon. Representative Devin Nunes, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that his committee would "make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party's campaign officials or surrogates".
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, also a Republican, said in a statement that it would "follow the evidence where it leads, and we will continue to be guided by the intelligence and facts as we compile our findings".
'Simply false'
Mr Comey has had a bumpy relationship with Mr Trump.
In July last year, after he announced he would not recommend criminal charges against Hillary Clinton following his agency's investigation into the handling of classified information on her private email server, he was roundly denounced by Mr Trump.
"FBI director said Crooked Hillary compromised our national security," Mr Trump tweeted at the time. "No charges. Wow! #RiggedSystem."
Mr Trump, who spent the weekend at his Florida resort, had called the alleged tapping "Nixon/Watergate", referring to the notorious political scandal of 1972, which led to the downfall of President Richard Nixon.
He asked on Twitter whether it was legal for a "sitting president to be wire-tapping" and referred to the allegation as "a new low".He asked on Twitter whether it was legal for a "sitting president to be wire-tapping" and referred to the allegation as "a new low".
Mr Trump, who has faced intense scrutiny over alleged Russian interference in support of his presidential bid, offered no evidence to support his allegation that phones at Trump Tower were tapped last year. Earlier Ben Rhodes, who was Mr Obama's foreign policy adviser and speechwriter, wrote in a tweet: "No President can order a wiretap. Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you."
A spokesman for Mr Obama said the charge was "simply false". A spokesman for Mr Obama said Mr Trump's allegation charge was "simply false".
Earlier, the director of national intelligence at the time of the US election, James Clapper, denied there had been any wire-tap on Mr Trump or his election campaign team. The director of national intelligence at the time of the US election, James Clapper, has also denied there was any wire-tap on Mr Trump or his election campaign team.
Mr Clapper also told NBC that he knew of no court order to allow monitoring of Trump Tower in New York. Mr Clapper told NBC that he knew of no court order to allow monitoring of Trump Tower in New York.
"There was no such wire-tap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, as a candidate, or against his campaign," Mr Clapper said."There was no such wire-tap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, as a candidate, or against his campaign," Mr Clapper said.