A report claiming that the US government wiretapped US President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort created quite a stir on social media, with many claiming it vindicates Trump’s earlier claim about being under surveillance.
CNN released the bombshell report, which cites “three sources familiar with the investigation,” late Monday.
According to the report, the FISA court authorized a “secret order” to monitor Paul Manafort back in 2014. Surveillance was discontinued “at some point last year [2016] for lack of evidence,” CNN said, citing one of the sources. However, the FBI restarted the surveillance and extended the warrant at least into early 2017.
Federal agents also searched “a storage facility” which belonged to Manafort, but so far it is unknown what they may have found.
The report claimed that conversations between Trump and Manafort continued “after the President took office [in January 2017], long after the FBI investigation into Manafort was publicly known.” They only stopped at the insistence of Trump’s and Manafort’s lawyers.
Manafort, a long-time Washington lobbyist and political consultant, joined Trump’s presidential campaign in March 2016. He was also present in a June 2016 meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, which she says was misrepresented by the US media.
READ MORE: 'Story of my meeting with Trump Jr. has been manipulated’ - Russian lawyer Veselnitskaya
According to CNN, the second warrant “was part of the FBI’s efforts to investigate ties between Trump campaign associates and suspected Russian operatives.” However, no evidence of any improper contacts between Trump campaign officials and the Russian government has yet been released.
When the story hit the headlines, people on social media recalled Trump’s claims made back in March, claiming that former President Barack Obama had his “’wires tapped’ in Trump Tower just before the victory.”
Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017
“Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!” Trump wrote at the time. “Is it legal for a sitting President to be ‘wire-tapping’ a race for president prior to an election?”
Many people on Twitter slammed CNN, saying that Trump was “right about wire-tapping.”
So you're saying President Trump has been correct all along.
— That Guy (@AlaskaNorseman) September 18, 2017
@klc4trump Well, well. Trump was right about wiretapping! Where's the retraction CNN & the apology.
— Steph (@sa55m55a) September 19, 2017
“The FBI hacking of Manafort is merely a witch hunt,” one person said.
So they investigated him since 2014 & still no visible evidence :) this is a witch hunt but all the leftovers like it so let it continue
— Tom (@tomzak287) September 19, 2017
Angry CNN followers lashed out at Barack Obama, saying that the former president committed “treason.” It was Obama who spied on Trump and it was “never about the Russians,” people wrote.
Trump was right!! Obama spied on Trump's campaign --- this is the biggest scandal/outrage in modern political history.
— Arizona Deplorable (@PhxGOP) September 19, 2017
Disgusting. This type of corruption is why no one trusts government or the media. Obama = treason
— Dtzak (@dtzak) September 19, 2017
"US Investigators" or The Obama Administration and HRCs election team.
— Steve Simms (@stevesms1960) September 19, 2017
Obama. Pure class. How dumb can you all be. The kool aid never runs out in your houses.
— America The Great (@thegreatabyss1) September 19, 2017
Some people pointed out that it was the FBI that wiretapped Manafort, not Obama himself.
FBI (not Obama) was tapping Manafort, investigating for crimes maybe committed as agent of foreign power. Trump on tape? All his stupid.
— The Biscuit (@thetruthbiscuit) September 19, 2017
Irate social media users also targeted CNN, calling them “fake news.”
Others said CNN should apologize to Trump for presenting his ‘Obama-wiretapped-me’ comments as a false claim.
OHHH LOL thought Fake news CNN callled Trump a liar when he said this very same thing... U guys are frauds and enemy of the ppl
— MAGA team 6 (@maga4life100) September 19, 2017
Some commented that CNN “has been forced” to say that Trump was right.
And some people just can’t wait to see where the Manafort wiretapping story is going to lead.
When will this crap end kids? Get a hobby or something....
— Mike Cooney (@mcoon7) September 18, 2017