Trump Alleges Obama Had Phones Wiretapped During Race

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump is accusing former President Barack Obama of having Trump's telephones "wire tapped" during last year's election, but Trump isn't offering any evidence or saying what prompted the allegation.

Trump says in a series of tweets that he "just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower."

There's no immediate White House comment, and an Obama spokesman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump's tweets could be in response to Democrat's outcry following revelations that Attorney General Jeff Sessions — in his confirmation hearings — didn't disclose his contacts with Russia's American ambassador during the campaign. Sessions — a senator at that time — was Trump's earliest Senate supporter.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded Russia influenced the election to help Trump win.

Trump, hitting back, accuses Schumer of Putin ties

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump, his administration under siege for contacts with Russian officials, is calling for "an immediate investigation" into Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer's own ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump tweeted a photo Friday of Schumer meeting with Putin in New York in 2003.

The president called for a probe into Schumer's "ties to Russia and Putin" and called the New York senator "A total hypocrite!"

Schumer responded on Twitter a short time later writing that he would "happily talk" under oath about his meeting with Putin, which took place "in full view of press and public."

He then challenged Trump to do the same.

Trump's tweet comes a day after Attorney General Jeff Sessions came under scrutiny for his two meetings with a Russian ambassador.

Amid firestorm, Trump appears to waiver on Russia deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a new wave of questions about his ties to Russia, President Donald Trump is telling advisers and allies that he may shelve — at least temporarily — his plan to pursue a deal with Moscow on the Islamic State group and other national security matters.

That's according to administration officials and Western diplomats.

In conversations with diplomats and other officials, Trump and his aides have ascribed the new thinking to Moscow's recent provocations. But the reconsideration of a central tenet of his foreign policy underscores the growing political risks in forging closer relations with Russia.

Trump's new skepticism about brokering a deal with Moscow suggests the rising influence of a new crop of advisers who have taken a tougher stance on Russia.