Obama is reportedly 'livid' over Trump's baseless accusation of wiretapping

Obama speaks to Trump on Inauguration Day.
(Image credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images)

By all appearances, former President Barack Obama is enjoying his retirement from politics. But that doesn't mean he isn't watching the news: The former president was reportedly "livid over [President Trump's] accusation that he bugged the Republican campaign offices, believing that Mr. Trump was questioning both the integrity of the office of the president and Mr. Obama himself, people familiar with his thinking" told The Wall Street Journal.

Things have been souring between Trump and his predecessor for a while now. While Obama decided he won't "respond to every intemperate Trump tweet," Trump's attitude has likely made 44 think twice about giving advice and counsel to Trump, as he once offered before the inauguration.

"They haven't spoken [since Inauguration Day]," The Wall Street Journal writes, "although Mr. Trump tried to call Mr. Obama to thank him for the traditional letter that one president leaves for his successor in the Oval Office. Mr. Obama was traveling at the time and the two never connected, people familiar with the matter said."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.