Sean Spicer says Trump ‘absolutely’ doesn’t regret wiretapping claims against Obama
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said US President Donald Trump is “absolutely” not regretful of claiming that former POTUS Barack Obama ordered to wiretap the Trump Tower. The interference was allegedly done during the 20116 presidential campaign when Obama was still seated as president.
When CNN’s Jim Acosta asked the press secretary if Trump regrets raising the accusation, Spicer replied with “absolutely not.” In a tweet, the president has also called Obama a “bad (or sick) guy.”
Spicer assured that the president is not going to withdraw his claim that her predecessor has wiretapped him during the 2016 election. “Why would he withdraw it until it’s adjudicated?” Spicer exclaimed during his press briefing on Tuesday.
He had refused to comment whether there is evidence to support the president’s claims but said the House and Senate intelligence committees should look into it. Spicer said he thinks what Trump wants to be done is for them to check into wiretapping, as well as other surveillance and other leaks that might pose a threat to national security.
He further stated that both the house and senate are capable of conducting investigations and it’s their job to do so. “Let them do their job, and report back to the American people,” he said. He had mentioned about leaks coming out, which he said are damaging to national security.
The press secretary has also reiterated that the intelligence committees must start a investigation on Trump’s wiretapping claims and leaks from the White House. Asked whether the investigation is a waste of time and money, Spicer insisted that it was "not about new proof.”
The Telegraph notes Spicer saying the investigation is not a question of wasting time, but is all about appropriateness. “I think there's a difference between directing congress to investigate,’ he added.
Former US National Intelligence Director James Clapper said there was no wiretapping during Obama’s administration. “For the part of the national security apparatus that I oversaw as DNI, there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, as a candidate, or against his campaign,” Clapper told NBC’s Meet the Press.
Earlier this week, FBI Director James Comey allegedly asked the Justice Department to reject Trump’s accusations against Obama. The FBI director reportedly considers the assertion untrue and has to be corrected. Even former Attorney General Michael Mukasey does not think Obama ordered the wiretapping.
