Trump wiretap
FBI chief rejects allegation
BBC
FBI director James Comey has rejected Donald Trumps claim that his predecessor, Barack Obama, ordered a wiretap of his phone before he was elected US president, US media say, reports BBC.
Comey reportedly asked the US justice department (DOJ) to publicly reject Saturdays allegation, according to the New York Times and NBC.
He is said to have asked for this because the allegation falsely insinuated that the FBI broke the law.
The DOJ has not commented. US media quoted officials as saying that Mr Comey believed there was no evidence to support Mr Trumps allegation.
From an FBI director this is a startling rebuke of a sitting president and Mr Comey will be under pressure from Democrats to voice it publicly, the BBCs Nick Bryant reports from Washington.
The Republican president, who faces intense scrutiny over alleged Russian interference in support of his presidential bid, made the claims in a series of tweets on Saturday. He offered no evidence to support his allegation that phones at Trump Tower were tapped last year.
His tweets followed allegations made by conservative radio host Mark Levin, including that the Obama administration sought, and eventually obtained, authorisation to eavesdrop on the Trump campaign last year.White House press secretary Sean Spicer went on to say there had been very troubling reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election.
