House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) said Wednesday that the committee has not seen any evidence backing up President Donald Trump’s claim that former President Barack Obama wiretapped him last year.
Earlier this month, Trump fired off a series of tweets accusing Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower during the 2016 presidential campaign. A spokesman for Obama denied the allegation.
The White House requested a congressional investigation into “whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.”
Nunes said at a Wednesday news conference, "We don't have any evidence that that took place, and in fact, I don't believe — just in the last week of time, the people we've talked to — I don't think there was an actual tap of Trump Tower."
In reference to Trump’s accusations, Nunes said that "the challenge here is that President Obama wouldn't physically go over and wiretap, and then you have to decide if you're going to take the tweets literally, and if you are, then clearly the president was wrong."
House Intel Chair Devin Nunes: "We don't have any evidence" that Trump's wiretapping allegations took place. https://t.co/fyhJCi2A6Z
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 15, 2017
"But if you're not going to take the tweets literally and if there's a concern that the president has about other people, other surveillance activities looking at him or his associates, either appropriately or inappropriately, we want to find that out,” he said. “It's all in the interpretation of what you believe.”
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the committee, also said he has seen no evidence “thus far” backing up Trump’s claim. He added that they want the Justice Department to respond to requests for information before their March 20 hearing on the matter.
NEW: "I've seen no evidence that supports" Pres. Trump's claim of wiretapping, Rep. Adam Schiff says https://t.co/T5uqoA85rO pic.twitter.com/ErtKrLYXBc
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 15, 2017
