Wiretap probe extended

The US Justice Department asked for more time yesterday to find evidence to back President Donald Trump’s accusation that his predecessor Barack Obama tapped his phones, as Trump’s press secretary swiftly backpedalled on the claim. A deadline set by congressional intelligence committees for the department to provide corroboration was due to expire yesterday. More than a week after Trump charged in a Twitter post that Obama had his phones tapped ahead of last November’s election, the Trump administration has yet to offer evidence to back up the claim. White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters during his daily briefing that ‘‘the president used the word ‘wiretap’ in quotes to mean, broadly, surveillance and other activities’’.