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| Trump wiretap claims: White House softens stance on unproven tweets | Trump wiretap claims: White House softens stance on unproven tweets |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Unsubstantiated claims by US President Donald Trump that he was wiretapped by Barack Obama were not meant literally, the White House press secretary says. | Unsubstantiated claims by US President Donald Trump that he was wiretapped by Barack Obama were not meant literally, the White House press secretary says. |
| Sean Spicer said Mr Trump had broadly meant "surveillance and other activities" when he made the allegation in a tweet earlier this month. | Sean Spicer said Mr Trump had broadly meant "surveillance and other activities" when he made the allegation in a tweet earlier this month. |
| He also suggested the president was not accusing his predecessor specifically. | He also suggested the president was not accusing his predecessor specifically. |
| Meanwhile, the justice department has asked for more time to provide information about the allegations. | Meanwhile, the justice department has asked for more time to provide information about the allegations. |
| A congressional committee had set a Monday deadline for the department to provide any evidence of President Trump's claims but a spokeswoman said it needed "additional time... to determine what if any responsive documents may exist". | |
| The House Intelligence Committee said it would give the department until 20 March to comply with its request. | |
| In his tweet Mr Trump said: "Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory." | In his tweet Mr Trump said: "Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory." |
| He added: "Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wire tapping' a race for president?" | He added: "Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wire tapping' a race for president?" |
| Despite repeated requests, the White House has not given any evidence for the claim. | Despite repeated requests, the White House has not given any evidence for the claim. |
| It has instead asked Congress to examine the allegation as part of an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in last year's election. | It has instead asked Congress to examine the allegation as part of an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in last year's election. |
| A spokesman for Mr Obama has said the accusation is "simply false". | A spokesman for Mr Obama has said the accusation is "simply false". |
| "The president used the word wiretap in quotes to mean broadly surveillance and other activities," Mr Spicer told reporters. | "The president used the word wiretap in quotes to mean broadly surveillance and other activities," Mr Spicer told reporters. |
| "There's a whole host of tactics that can be used to monitor somebody either through wiretap or other ways," he added, without giving details. | "There's a whole host of tactics that can be used to monitor somebody either through wiretap or other ways," he added, without giving details. |
| Mr Spicer also suggested Mr Trump was referring to the actions of the Obama administration and not accusing the former president directly. | Mr Spicer also suggested Mr Trump was referring to the actions of the Obama administration and not accusing the former president directly. |
| Earlier, Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said she did not have any evidence to back up the wiretapping claim but said there were "many ways to surveil each other now". | Earlier, Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said she did not have any evidence to back up the wiretapping claim but said there were "many ways to surveil each other now". |
| "You can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets - any number of ways... microwaves that turn into cameras. We know this is a fact of modern life," she told New Jersey's Bergen County Record. | "You can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets - any number of ways... microwaves that turn into cameras. We know this is a fact of modern life," she told New Jersey's Bergen County Record. |