Chuck Schumer says Trump's wiretapping tweets show 'the president is in trouble'

Most Republican lawmakers have been mum or openly skeptical of President Trump's claim, tweeted on Saturday, that former President Barack Obama ordered his Trump Tower phones wiretapped during the presidential campaign. On Saturday, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) demanded that Trump reveal his sources, rumored to be a Breitbart News article based on a right-wing talk radio theory, arguing that Trump's accusations have put America "in the midst of a civilization-warping crisis of public trust."
On Sunday, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said he has seen "no evidence" to support Trump's wiretapping claim, adding, "The president put that out there, and now the White House will have to answer as to exactly what he was referring to." Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), like Rubio a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said rather than Trump tweeting, "it would be more helpful if he turned over to the intelligence committee any evidence that he has." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), like other Democrats on the Sunday shows, was only slightly more blunt, stating that "the president is in trouble," and he "makes it worse with these tweets."
If Trump "falsely spread this kind of misinformation, that is so wrong — it's beneath the dignity of the presidency," Schumer said on NBC's Meet the Press. "If it's true, it's even worse for the president. Because that means that a federal judge, independently elected, has found probable cause that the president, or people on his staff... have probable cause to have broken the law or to have interacted with a foreign agent." You can watch Schumer's entire interview below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
How worried should we be about asteroids?
Today's Big Question Odds of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth have fluctuated wildly this week
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Why does Elon Musk take his son everywhere?
Talking Point With his four-year-old 'emotional support human' by his side, what message is the world's richest man sending?
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Why are sinkholes becoming more common?
Podcast Plus, will Saudi investment help create the "Netflix of sport"? And why has New Zealand's new tourism campaign met with a savage reception?
By The Week UK Published
-
Trump seeks to end New York's congestion pricing
Speed Read The MTA quickly filed a lawsuit to stop the move
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump officials try to reverse DOGE-led firings
Speed Read Mass firings by Elon Musk's team have included employees working on the H5N1 bird flu epidemic and US nuclear weapons programs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump blames Ukraine for war after US-Russia talks
Speed Read The US and Russia have agreed to work together on ending the Ukraine war — but President Trump has flipped America's approach
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security files
Speed Read If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms RFK Jr. as health secretary
Speed Read The noted vaccine skeptic is now in charge of America's massive public health system
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump lays out plans for broad 'reciprocal' tariffs
Speed Read Tariffs imposed on countries that are deemed to be treating the US unfairly could ignite a global trade war and worsen American inflation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Top US prosecutors resign rather than drop Adams case
speed read The interim US attorney for the Southern District and five senior Justice Department officials quit following an order to drop the charges against Mayor Eric Adams
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms Gabbard as intelligence chief
Speed Read The controversial former Democratic lawmaker, now Trump loyalist, was sworn in as director of national intelligence
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published