Donald Trump got his false narrative about Obama tapping his phone during the 2016 election from talk radio. On Thursday evening, a talk show host named Mark Levin leveled what the New York Times called "a conspiratorial rant" suggesting that president Obama used the "instrumentalities of government" to eavesdrop on his successor in Trump Tower.
Steve Bannon, Trump's main advisor, is the former head of Breitbart.
Like clockwork, Levin's assertions landed on the front page of Breitbart on Friday morning. By the end of the day, this false narrative was on its way around the world.
On Saturday Trump sent out a stream of angry tweets saying that Obama had tapped his phone, an act which he equated with McCarthyism. FBI director Comey knew that to tap the phone of an American citizen you need a judge's OK based on the suspicion that the person being tapped may be a criminal. There was no evidence anywhere that Obama had taken such a route.
Comey spent Saturday imploring the Justice Department to bat down Trump's lie.
On Sunday, receiving no answer from Jeff Sessions' Justice Department, Comey told the world Trump was lying and instructed the Justice Department to publicly renounce his unsubstantiated attack on Obama.
Trump fights back
On Sunday the news was all about the fictitious Obama tap. Building on a false narrative, Trump forces claimed mainstream media provided the impetus for the story. The truth is that mainstream media told the following story which has nothing to do with president Obama tapping anyone's phone.
The actual media narrative
Media reported that Trump operatives were being investigated regarding their possible ties with Russia and that as part of the investigation communications had been intercepted.
No wiretapping of Trump was ever reported. The Times also mentioned surveillance of Russia which it said is commonplace.
The actual story is this: Since Comey told Trump to cease and desist yesterday, word from Trump has been nonexistent. It is early Monday morning and no tweets have come. All this can mean is that Trump may be deep in a war council with Bannon and company. It would not be the first time he has been caught in a lie.
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