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Donald Trump claims Barack Obama ordered 'wire tap' on Trump Tower, but provides no evidence | Donald Trump claims Barack Obama ordered 'wire tap' on Trump Tower, but provides no evidence |
(35 minutes later) | |
Donald Trump has claimed Barack Obama had Trump Tower's 'wires tapped'. | Donald Trump has claimed Barack Obama had Trump Tower's 'wires tapped'. |
The allegation was made in a series of tweets. | |
"Terrible!" the President said. "Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" | "Terrible!" the President said. "Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" |
Soon after he added: "Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A new low! | Soon after he added: "Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A new low! |
"I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to election!" | |
Mr Trump also suggested that Mr Obama was "sick". | |
The President said: "How low has President Obama gone to tapp [sic] my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" | |
However, despite the severity of the claim, Mr Trump did not immediately provide evidence that Mr Obama was responsible for surveillance on his property. | However, despite the severity of the claim, Mr Trump did not immediately provide evidence that Mr Obama was responsible for surveillance on his property. |
The President has a long history of making unfounded and sometimes bizarre claims and it is not the first time he has used them to attack his predecessor. | |
Mr Trump has been a strong proponent of the 'birther' conspiracy theory, which held that Mr Obama was not born in the US. | Mr Trump has been a strong proponent of the 'birther' conspiracy theory, which held that Mr Obama was not born in the US. |
Using anonymous sources - which he has criticised the press for utilising - Mr Trump has at least five times alleged that Mr Obama was not born in the US and that his birth certificate was a "fraud". | Using anonymous sources - which he has criticised the press for utilising - Mr Trump has at least five times alleged that Mr Obama was not born in the US and that his birth certificate was a "fraud". |
The tirade came at end of a week in which Mr Trump had been praised widely for acting in a more Presidential fashion, during his first address to Congress. |