Trump Says Obama Wiretapping Accusation Was Made ‘on a little bit of a hunch’
Soon after taking office in 2017, Donald Trump began to lash out at those he considered his enemies. One of these people was Barack Obama, who the president accused of wiretapping his offices at Trump Tower.
Trump went on a Twitter rant, speaking with certainty and questioning whether Obama’s alleged actions were legal. In a Thursday interview with Sean Hannity, though, the president admitted he had no evidence and questioned Obama on a hunch.
The president said of the accusation:
“I don’t know if you remember, a long time ago, very early on I used the word wiretap, and I put in quotes, meaning surveillance, spying you can sort of say whatever you want. Now I understand why, because they thought two years ago when I said that just on a little bit of a hunch and a little bit of wisdom maybe, it blew up because they thought maybe I was wise to them. Or they were caught. And that’s why. ’Cuz if they weren’t doing anything wrong it would’ve just gotten by, nobody would’ve cared about it. It was pretty insignificant, I thought when I said it, and it’s pretty amazing.”
When Trump made the initial claim, however, he used very strong language. “Terrible,” he tweeted. “Just found out that Obama had my “wires tapped” in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!”
Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017
The FBI and the Department of Justice both said at the time that there was no evidence of Trump’s claim.
Watch the Hannity/Trump Interview here, skipping to 3:50 to hear the segment: