WASHINGTON — A growing roster of Republicans are calling on President Donald Trump to retract his claim that he was wiretapped during last year’s election after FBI Director James Comey said there was no evidence to support that accusation.
The list includes Sen. John McCain of Arizona and moderate Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, Republicans who both said the president needs to walk back his statement that former President Barack Obama was spying on Trump Tower during the White House campaign last year. New York Rep. Peter King and Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake also made similar statements.
“I think that he should retract his comment,” McCain told reporters Tuesday. “He should retract unless he has evidence that would show Obama was behind that and obviously there has not been that evidence.”
Dent, speaking Monday night on MSNBC, said, “Yes, he should retract. And if I were in his shoes — I would apologize if I were in his shoes, absolutely.”
Comey confirmed to the House Intelligence Committee on Monday that the bureau is probing potential ties between Trump’s associates and Russia during the 2016 campaign, and he also said no evidence supports the claim of wiretapping first raised by the president last month in a tweet.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell dodged the question when asked by reporters Tuesday whether he was concerned the fight was diverting too much political energy.
“You could ask the White House a question like that, but I have heard prior to that no indication that this occurred,” said McConnell, R-Ky.
The White House has defended the allegations, which started with a tweet accusing Obama of having the tower “wiretapped.” Administration officials have since said that phrasing could signify a number of different surveillance techniques.
“The president has to find a way, I think, to walk it back,” King said during an appearance Tuesday on WWOR radio in New York.
