# 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:** 36
**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 31, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/701 "2017-03-31T14:51:24Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I simply posted the first link available that had the MSNBC clip. There were several others but that one came up first on Google. > > I suppose I should have looked on YouTube first and posted a link without any “conservative” wrapping, so to speak. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCMF94FX530](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCMF94FX530) Yes, Evelyn Farkas was on TV and said words in English. Your assertion about what those words were was incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/702 "2017-03-31T14:59:24Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I simply posted the first link available that had the MSNBC clip. There were several others but that one came up first on Google. > > I suppose I should have looked on YouTube first and posted a link without any “conservative” wrapping, so to speak. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCMF94FX530](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCMF94FX530) You are posting something from [Blackand BlondeMedia](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFhh_NghGlKW8WEtg8RdHqQ) as being without any “conservative” wrapping? Are you still under the impression that nobody will check your sources? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/703 "2017-03-31T16:13:48Z")
But FARKAS! And we are at war with N Korea. Don’t be unpatriotic at this solemn time! ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/704 "2017-03-31T16:39:14Z")
I don’t think I’ve seen this posted yet, apparently it’s plausible that the revelation of names that Nunes alleged happened very well might have come from the current occupant of the white house: [Is the Trump White House Spying on the FBI?](https://tcf.org/content/commentary/trump-white-house-spying-fbi/) . The fact that nothing more has come of the allegedly improperly redacted names, combined with articles like this makes me think that there really wasn’t ANY fire to Nunes’s smoke. Which is actually surprising to me, I wouldn’t expect someone like him to fly off the handle like that. Also it looks like he might have committed a few felonies in the process of getting the information the way he did, though I doubt he’s fearing prosecution. Maybe I’m just misremembering, but I don’t think I’ve seen this level of unfounded and risky (for the person making them) accusations in previous scandals, like Bush’s Iraq war intel, or Iran-Contra, or any of Clinton’s shenanigans. ---
**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 31, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/705 "2017-03-31T17:04:52Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Evelyn Farkas (Obama’s Deputy Asst. Secretary of Defense) appeared on MSNBC and openly admitted that the Obama administration spied on the Trump campaign. > > [UPDATE: President Obama's Own Defense Deputy Admits Obama White House Spied on Candidate/President-Elect Trump... - The Last Refuge](https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/03/28/oh-my-president-obamas-own-defense-deputy-admits-obama-white-house-spied-on-candidatepresident-elect-trump/) I wish I could post a poll in this thread: were Farkas’ comments… 1. Smoking gun evidence of Trump being wiretapppped by Obama, or 2. Incoherent babbling? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/706 "2017-03-31T17:44:34Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I wish I could post a poll in this thread: were Farkas’ comments… > > 1. Smoking gun evidence of Trump being wiretapppped by Obama, or > 2. Incoherent babbling? Wasn’t she describing efforts to preserve evidence in case they were at risk under an administration under investigation? How can anyone not empathize with this with what we know? ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/707 "2017-04-01T01:46:03Z")
drip. drip. > **[Intelligence official who 'unmasked' Trump associates is 'very high up,'...](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/intelligence-official-who-unmasked-trump-associates-is-very-high-up-source-says)** > > The U.S. intelligence official who “unmasked,” or exposed, the names of multiple private citizens affiliated with the Trump team is someone “very well known, very high up, very senior in the intelligence world,” a source told Fox News on Friday. "The communications collected from Trump team associates apparently were picked up during surveillance of foreign targets. But an intelligence source familiar with those targets said they were spied on long before Trump became the GOP presidential nominee in mid-July. In addition, citizens affiliated with Trump’s team who were unmasked were not associated with any intelligence about Russia or other foreign intelligence, sources confirmed. The initial unmasking led to other surveillance, which led to other private citizens being wrongly unmasked, sources said. “Unmasking is not unprecedented, but unmasking for political purposes … specifically of Trump transition team members … is highly suspect and questionable,” an intelligence source told Fox News. “Opposition by some in the intelligence agencies who were very connected to the Obama and Clinton teams was strong. After Trump was elected, they decided they were going to ruin his presidency by picking them off one by one.” … and some more from the story’s journalist: "I will also note…my sources are “not Trump people” They are “just frustrated with the politicalization of our intelligence agencies” ---
**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:** [April 1, 2017, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/708 "2017-04-01T01:54:46Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > drip. drip. > > [Intelligence official who 'unmasked' Trump associates is 'very high up,' source says | Fox News](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/31/intelligence-official-who-unmasked-trump-associates-is-very-high-up-source-says.html) > > **"The communications collected from Trump team associates apparently were picked up during surveillance of foreign targets. But an intelligence source familiar with those targets said they were spied on long before Trump became the GOP presidential nominee in mid-July.** > > In addition, citizens affiliated with Trump’s team who were unmasked were not associated with any intelligence about Russia or other foreign intelligence, sources confirmed. The initial unmasking led to other surveillance, which led to other private citizens being wrongly unmasked, sources said. > > “Unmasking is not unprecedented, but unmasking for political purposes … specifically of Trump transition team members … is highly suspect and questionable,” an intelligence source told Fox News. “Opposition by some in the intelligence agencies who were very connected to the Obama and Clinton teams was strong. After Trump was elected, they decided they were going to ruin his presidency by picking them off one by one.” > … and some more from the story’s journalist: > > "I will also note…my sources are “not Trump people” They are “just frustrated with the politicalization of our intelligence agencies” So you admit that Trump and his campaign were _not_ under surveillance. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2017, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/709 "2017-04-01T01:56:16Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > drip. drip. > > [Intelligence official who 'unmasked' Trump associates is 'very high up,' source says | Fox News](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/31/intelligence-official-who-unmasked-trump-associates-is-very-high-up-source-says.html) > > "The communications collected from Trump team associates apparently were picked up during surveillance of foreign targets. But an intelligence source familiar with those targets said they were spied on long before Trump became the GOP presidential nominee in mid-July. > > In addition, citizens affiliated with Trump’s team who were unmasked were not associated with any intelligence about Russia or other foreign intelligence, sources confirmed. The initial unmasking led to other surveillance, which led to other private citizens being wrongly unmasked, sources said. > > “Unmasking is not unprecedented, but unmasking for political purposes … specifically of Trump transition team members … is highly suspect and questionable,” an intelligence source told Fox News. “Opposition by some in the intelligence agencies who were very connected to the Obama and Clinton teams was strong. After Trump was elected, they decided they were going to ruin his presidency by picking them off one by one.” > … and some more from the story’s journalist: > > "I will also note…my sources are “not Trump people” They are “just frustrated with the politicalization of our intelligence agencies” This doesn’t appear to have anything to do with Trump’s evidence-free claims about Obama, nor with Nunes’ apparent collusion with the White House to try and support the baseless claims. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/710 "2017-04-01T02:03:17Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > So you admit that Trump and his campaign were _not_ under surveillance. “The initial unmasking led to other surveillance, which led to other private citizens being wrongly unmasked, sources said.” ---
**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:** [April 1, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/711 "2017-04-01T02:08:08Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > “The initial unmasking led to other surveillance, which led to other private citizens being wrongly unmasked, sources said.” That’s a separate issue. You’ve been claiming that the Trump campaign was the _target_ of surveillance. The target of “other surveillance” is not specified. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/712 "2017-04-01T02:40:23Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > That’s a separate issue. You’ve been claiming that the Trump campaign was the _target_ of surveillance. > > The target of “other surveillance” is not specified. Further - ‘leading to other surveillance’ does not necessarily equal ‘new’ surveillance, just that it took them to other data. Putting together a puzzle of information. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/713 "2017-04-01T02:52:40Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > That’s a separate issue. You’ve been claiming that the Trump campaign was the _target_ of surveillance. Cite? I claimed and claim that Trump and some of his people were under surveillance. Whether targets or incidentals is immaterial if your name and transcripts of your conversations wind up in widely disseminated reports. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2017, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/714 "2017-04-01T02:58:09Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > **Cite? > \*\* > I claimed and claim that Trump and some of his people were** under surveillance.\*\* Whether targets or incidentals is immaterial if your name and transcripts of your conversations wind up in widely disseminated reports. Your posting history. “Under surveillance” and “the target of surveillance” is the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/715 "2017-04-01T03:02:07Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Your posting history. > > “Under surveillance” and “the target of surveillance” is the same thing. Nope. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2017, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/716 "2017-04-01T03:14:31Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Nope. Care to share your so-called definitions? ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/717 "2017-04-01T03:25:55Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Care to share your so-called definitions? When your name with the transcripts of your conversations winds up disseminated in intelligence community as a result of a surveillance operation - that’s being “under surveillance”. When a court authorizes intercepting/recording all your communications - that’s being a “target of surveillance”. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/718 "2017-04-01T03:34:18Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > When your name with the transcripts of your conversations winds up disseminated in intelligence community as a result of a surveillance operation - that’s being “under surveillance”. > > When a court authorizes intercepting/recording all your communications - that’s being a “target of surveillance”. “Under surveillance” is the active observation, recording, etc of the target of surveillance. English works much better when you don’t make up your own definitions. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/719 "2017-04-01T03:40:36Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > “Under surveillance” is the active observation, recording, etc of the target of surveillance. > > English works much better when you don’t make up your own definitions. Tell that to Reuters: [U.S. to disclose estimate of number of Americans **under surveillance**](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-surveillance-idUSKBN1452FX?il=0) ---
**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:** [April 1, 2017, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384/720 "2017-04-01T03:45:43Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Tell that to Reuters: > > [U.S. to disclose estimate of number of Americans **under surveillance**](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-surveillance-idUSKBN1452FX?il=0) That doesn’t address your bullshit definition. > [@](#): > > The U.S. intelligence community will soon disclose **an estimate of the number of Americans** whose electronic communications have been caught in the crosshairs of online surveillance programs intended for foreigners, U.S. lawmakers said in a letter seen by Reuters on Friday. Numbers, not names or details. [Surveillance](http://www.dictionary.com/browse/surveillance) > [@](#): > > noun > 1. > a watch kept over a person, group, etc., especially over a suspect, prisoner, or the like: > The suspects were under police surveillance. > 2. > **continuous observation of a place, person, group, or ongoing activity in order to gather information:** > video cameras used for covert surveillance. > See also electronic surveillance. > 3. > attentive observation, as to oversee and direct someone or something: > increased surveillance of patients with chronic liver disease. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384.md?page=35) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-him/781384.md?page=37)