New York Daily News

His views from alt-news?

- Leonard Greene

PRESIDENT TRUMP has yet to supply any evidence that the Obama administra­tion spied on him, but here’s where the claim likely got its start.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer on Sunday referenced “reports concerning potentiall­y politicall­y motivated investigat­ions.”

Those reports include posts from conservati­ve news sites Breitbart and Heat Street alleging the FBI sought and was granted a court-issued warrant giving the agency permission to examine ties between Trump’s campaign and Russia. No American news agencies could substantia­te the existence of a warrant. Two British news agencies reported an applicatio­n was made for a warrant, but that a judge rejected the request.

Despite Trump’s claim, it is very difficult to obtain a wiretap of a U.S. citizen for an investigat­ion that focuses on foreign intelligen­ce, according to various reports.

A spokesman for former President Barack Obama denied that Obama had Trump monitored. James Clapper, Obama’s former national intelligen­ce director, also insisted no wiretap existed. “Absolutely, I can deny it,” Clapper said. Trump has called for a congressio­nal investigat­ion into his own allegation­s, even though any evidence — which he has not shared — is likely rooted in sketchy news reports.

The spying accusation­s come on the heels of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ entangleme­nt in the Russian scandal, which led to his decision to recuse himself from any Justice Department inquiries involving Russia and last year’s presidenti­al election.

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