House Intelligence Committee, John McCain, ask Trump to prove or retract Obama wiretapping claim

Sen. John McCain asks Trump to prove or refute his Obama wiretapping claim
(Image credit: CNN/YouTube)

A week after President Trump accused his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, of tapping his phones at Trump Tower during the campaign, then asked Congress to investigate, Congress appears to be getting a bit impatient with the lack of evidence. The heads of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), sent the Justice Department a letter last week giving the Trump administration until Monday to turn over any evidence it has to support the explosive claim, congressional aides told The Associated Press and NBC News over the weekend. FBI Director James Comey, who reportedly asked unsuccessfully that the Justice Department refute Trump's claim, was sent a copy of the letter as well.

Nunes suggested last week that Trump was either just asking questions about wiretapping or being taken too "literally" by the media, saying Trump is a "neophyte in politics." On Sunday, Schiff said he doesn't expect to see any evidence but plans to ask Comey about Trump's claims at a March 20 hearing. "I don't think anyone has any question about this, George," he told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos. "The only question is why the president would make up such a thing." House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who receives high-level intelligence briefings, also said on CBS Sunday that he has not seen any evidence to support Trump's wiretapping claim.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

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.