The FBI asked the Justice Department on Saturday to refute President Donald Trump’s assertion that President Barack Obama ordered the wiretapping of Trump’s phones last year, two sources with knowledge of the situation told CNN.
The FBI made the request, first reported by The New York Times, because such wiretapping would be illegal, since the President cannot just order the eavesdropping of a U.S. citizen’s phones, the sources said. The sources would not say who was involved in the conversations between the FBI and DOJ.
So far, the Justice Department has not said anything in reaction to Trump’s tweets on Saturday, in which he made the wiretapping allegations.
Asked about the FBI request, a Justice Department spokesman said he had no comment. The FBI refused comment as well.