Wiretap claim: US says sorry to UK

18 March,2017 11:09 AM IST |   |  Agencies

Britain’s spy agency GCHQ had dismissed Trump administration’s claims of helping President Barack Obama wiretap him as ‘nonsense’ and ‘ridiculous’



USâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088President Donald Trump had claimed that his Trump Tower residence in New York was under surveillance authorised by former President Barack Obama

London: Britain yesterday dismissed as "ridiculous" Donald Trump's allegations that it helped Barack Obama wiretap him during the US presidential polls and said it has received "assurances" from the White House that it will not repeat the claims. The White House has also apologised to the UK for the allegations.


Allegations of Britain's GCHQ's involvement were initially made by former judge Andrew Napolitano. Pics/Getty, AFP

US national security adviser HR McMaster spoke with his British counterpart on Thursday about press secretary Sean Spicer's comment from the White House podium about a Fox News report that said British intelligence helped wiretap Trump Tower during the 2016 campaign, a White House official said Friday.

James Slack, spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said, "We've made clear to the (Trump) administration that these claims are ridiculous and they should be ignored and we've received assurances they won't be repeated." The US President had claimed that his Trump Tower residence in New York was under surveillance authorised by former President Obama and allegations of Britain's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) involvement were initially made by former judge Andrew Napolitano.

"Recent allegations made by media commentator Judge Andrew Napolitano about GCHQ being asked to conduct ‘wiretapping' against the then President-elect are nonsense," a GCHQ spokesperson said. "They are utterly ridiculous and should be ignored," the spokesperson said.

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