# Trump accuses Obama of wiretapping him **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 4, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384 "2017-03-04T15:07:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/461 "2017-03-22T19:14:13Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Nunes just repeated in his news conference moments ago that the President’s tweet about having his phones tappppppped by Obama is false. As in: "“I have seen intelligence reports that clearly show that the president-elect and his team were, I guess, at least monitored,” Nunes told reporters. “It looks to me like it was all legally collected, but it was essentially a lot of information on the president-elect and his transition team and what they were doing.” ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/462 "2017-03-22T19:15:08Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Evidence that Nunes (as the House Intelligence Chairman) **says** he has. You know, kinda like evidence of Russian meddling that Comey **says** he has. Etc. etc. Kind of like evidence Trump said his investigators found that Obama wasn’t born in Hawaii? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/463 "2017-03-22T19:15:23Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Evidence that Nunes (as the House Intelligence Chairman) **says** he has. … That is the best kind of evidence. I think Trump has some, too. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/464 "2017-03-22T19:16:18Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > As in: > > "“I have seen intelligence reports that clearly show that the president-elect and his team were, I guess, at least monitored,” Nunes told reporters. “It looks to me like it was all legally collected, but it was essentially a lot of information on the president-elect and his transition team and what they were doing.” No. He was asked by a reporter if his statements support Trump’s tweet. He said no. I don’t have a transcript of the live remarks, but he clearly rejected what you’re trying to argue. Give it up, dude. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/465 "2017-03-22T19:19:36Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > No. He was asked by a reporter if his statements support Trump’s tweet. He said no. I don’t have a transcript of the live remarks, but he clearly rejected what you’re trying to argue. Wrong. [https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-03-22/nunes-says-trump-team-communications-caught-in-u-s-surveillance](https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-03-22/nunes-says-trump-team-communications-caught-in-u-s-surveillance) “Nunes told reporters outside the White House, where he briefed the president on his findings, that “it is possible” Trump’s tweets were correct concerning surveillance.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/466 "2017-03-22T19:19:56Z")
I’m reminded of the desperation with which Bush supporters tried to pretend rusted-out barrels of expired Sarin found in abandoned warehouses constituted weapons of mass destruction so they didn’t have to admit the then-current batch of Republicans were lying scum as well. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/467 "2017-03-22T19:25:16Z")
If communications with Russian principals were above board, why did they lie about talking to them? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/468 "2017-03-22T19:26:07Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Wrong. > > [Bloomberg - Are you a robot?](https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-03-22/nunes-says-trump-team-communications-caught-in-u-s-surveillance) > > “Nunes told reporters outside the White House, where he briefed the president on his findings, that “it is possible” Trump’s tweets were correct concerning surveillance.” That was not the question asked by the reporter I just listened to – but I’ll wait for a transcript to come out. Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham still thinks Trump is full of BS, per your article: > [@](#): > > "If the Trump campaign’s conversations are caught up in surveilling a foreign agent, there are rules about what you can release and who you can unmask,” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told reporters. “That’s different than having the Obama administration surveil the Trump campaign.” ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/469 "2017-03-22T19:30:17Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > As in: > > "“I have seen intelligence reports that clearly show that the president-elect and his team were, I guess, at least monitored,” Nunes told reporters. “It looks to me like it was all legally collected, but it was essentially a lot of information on the president-elect and his transition team and what they were doing.” So, to paraphrase, “In their conversations with criminals and spies, some of Trump’s team’s conversations were collected. There were quite a few conversations between Trumps team and these spies and criminals, so there is quite a bit of information on them.” The fact that it was legally collected means that there were legal warrants for the people being surveilled. The fact that the Trump team was talking to entities who had legal warrants to be surveilled concerns me much more than the fact that our intelligence agencies are surveilling foreign agents and criminals. I am going to post Trump’s tweets here, and watch as you try to twist this revelation that they may have been under incidental surveillance while they were talking to criminals and spies into something that resembles his accusations towards the former admin. “Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my “wires tapped” in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!” “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!” “How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!” (spellcheck is very angry over “tapp” but I gotta let it go) Now, it may have been a while since you’ve seen trump’s accusations, so you may have forgotten that they were fairly pointed and specific, as if there was someone else doing something wrong. If his tweets were truthful they would have been “Terrible, just found out that my transition team got caught talking to criminals and spies.” ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/470 "2017-03-22T19:32:59Z")
Here it is – it’s on CNN’s Twitter feed. I can’t figure out how to link to the specific post, so I’ll transcribe myself: Reporter: The President said that President Obama “tapped his phones.” Do you think— Nunes: No, no, no. That did not happen. I’ve said this for many, many weeks, including the day – the day after. That never happened. So, that never happened. If you look at CNN’s Twitter feed, the tweet reads “Rep. Devin Nunes says Obama never wiretapped Trump: “That did not happen. I’ve said this for many, many weeks”” and has a video link. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/471 "2017-03-22T19:34:41Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Here it is – it’s on CNN’s Twitter feed. I can’t figure out how to link to the specific post, so I’ll transcribe myself: > > Reporter: The President said that President Obama “tapped his phones.” Do you think— > > Nunes: No, no, no. That did not happen. I’ve said this for many, many weeks, including the day – the day after. That never happened. So, that never happened. > > If you look at CNN’s Twitter feed, the tweet reads “Rep. Devin Nunes says Obama never wiretapped Trump: “That did not happen. I’ve said this for many, many weeks”” and has a video link. And yet - “Nunes told reporters outside the White House, where he briefed the president on his findings, that “it is possible” Trump’s tweets were correct concerning surveillance.” Did Obama literally wire-tap(p) Trump? No. Did Obama administration have Trump and his people under surveillance? Quite possible. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/472 "2017-03-22T19:43:53Z")
Hey, you’re the one who is trying to make Nunes look like Sherlock Holmes. I’m saying he’s a member of the Trump transition team that has more in common with Inspector Clouseau. You’re also the guy clinging to rescuing some truth from Trump’s tweet, as if “Obama tappppped my phones in a Nixonian way to target political opponents” actually means “the FBI was lawfully recording conversation with foreign intelligence agents that members of my transition team were calling all the time.” ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/473 "2017-03-22T19:49:55Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > “Obama tappppped my phones in a Nixonian way to target political opponents” Cite for that quote? Or is that not a quote but your interpretation? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/474 "2017-03-22T19:50:53Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Hey, you’re the one who is trying to make Nunes look like Sherlock Holmes. I’m saying he’s a member of the Trump transition team that has more in common with Inspector Clouseau. > > You’re also the guy clinging to rescuing some truth from Trump’s tweet, as if “Obama ta_ **ppppp** _ed my phones in a Nixonian way to target political opponents” actually means “the FBI was lawfully recording conversation with foreign intelligence agents that members of my transition team were calling all the time.” My bold. Not enough “p”. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/475 "2017-03-22T19:52:19Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Cite for that quote? Or is that not a quote but your interpretation? “How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!” It’s your guy that compared it to Nixon. It’s your guy that called Obama a bad (or sick) guy for doing these actions. How are you defending these tweets if you haven’t actually read them? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/476 "2017-03-22T19:55:10Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Cite for that quote? Or is that not a quote but your interpretation? It’s more a [condensing](https://www.axios.com/trump-targets-obama-with-nixon-watergate-tweetstorm-2298931337.html) of a bunch of successive tweets. > [@](#): > > The first meeting Jeff Sessions had with the Russian Amb was set up by the Obama Administration under education program for 100 Ambs… Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my “wires tapped” in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! Just out: The same Russian Ambassador that met Jeff Sessions visited the Obama White House 22 times, and 4 times last year alone. **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! How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. **This is Nixon/Watergate.** Bad (or sick) guy! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/477 "2017-03-22T19:55:42Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Cite for that quote? Or is that not a quote but your interpretation? “[How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!](https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/837996746236182529?lang=en)” ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/478 "2017-03-22T19:57:36Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Cite for that quote? Or is that not a quote but your interpretation? I’m sure you know that it isn’t a literal quote. Just as I’m sure you know exactly what Trump tweeted, accusing “President Obama” (not Obama Administration or just “Obama”) of tapppping phones, accusing him of “McCarthyism” (still don’t know WTF that means) and “This is Nixon/Watergate.” Oh, wait, maybe you’re going to say that a reference to “Nixon/Watergate” shouldn’t be taken literally as a reference to spying on political opponents! Perhaps Devin Nunes will next discover that the tweet was actually a reference to Cynthia Nixon filming a scene of Sex in the City at the hairdresser in the Watergate Hotel! “Bad (or sick) show, it is failing!” ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/479 "2017-03-22T19:57:46Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > “How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!” > > It’s your guy that compared it to Nixon. It’s your guy that called Obama a bad (or sick) guy for doing these actions. > > How are you defending these tweets if you haven’t actually read them? I am not. Trump was wrong to imply illegality if he wasn’t sure of it. Apparently he was correct that he and his people were under surveillance by the Obama administration (and some of their conversations and their contents were disseminated under their names inside the Obama administration, apparently). Which, while questionably legal, definitely smells bad (or sick?). ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/480 "2017-03-22T19:58:50Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I’m sure you know that it isn’t a literal quote. If it is not a literal quote, you shouldn’t put it in quotes. Taking things literally can be played by both sides, you know. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384.md?page=25)