House Intelligence Chair: No Evidence Of Alleged Trump Tower Wiretap

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, answers questions at the U.S. Capitol during a press conference on March 7.
Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, answers questions at the U.S. Capitol during a press conference on March 7. Win McNamee/Getty Images
Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, answers questions at the U.S. Capitol during a press conference on March 7.
Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, answers questions at the U.S. Capitol during a press conference on March 7. Win McNamee/Getty Images

House Intelligence Chair: No Evidence Of Alleged Trump Tower Wiretap

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House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes says he doesn’t believe “there was an actual tap of Trump Tower,” contrary to claims made by President Trump. Nunes added, “If you’re going to take the tweets literally, then the president was wrong.” The top Democrat on the House committee, Adam Schiff, said he’s seen “no evidence whatsoever” that supports Trump’s claim. 

Trump alleged that his predecessor, President Barack Obama, tapped his phone at Trump Tower in a pair of tweets earlier this month.

Trump has not produced any evidence to support his claim. FBI Director James Comey is likely to face questions about whether the agency got a warrant to wiretap Trump Tower at a House hearing on Monday.

Sen. Lindsey Graham of S.C. is also expecting some answers. In an interview on NBC’s Today Show, Graham threatened to subpoena the Department of Justice to force officials to reveal whether they have been investigating the Trump campaign.

Graham, who chairs the Senate panel, said the Senate will also hold up the nomination of Rod Rosenstein, Trump’s pick for deputy attorney general, until Congress is provided with information “to finally clear the air as to whether there was ever a warrant issued against the Trump campaign.”

Graham and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the subcommittee’s ranking Democrat, sent a letter to Comey two weeks ago asking him to provide the information by Wednesday.

The former president’s office has denied the charge. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has said he knew of no warrant to wiretap Trump.

Graham says he knows of no evidence of such a warrant, but added that he’s now “getting concerned, because it’s taking so long to answer my letter.”

Intelligence officials have concluded that Russia employed cyberattacks during the presidential campaign intended to hurt the Hillary Clinton campaign and aid Trump.

Nunes said it’s possible that conversations Trump campaign officials had with Russia were captured in surveillance of Russian officials.

To see more, visit NPR.org.