Thread by @benrileysmith

This is a rerun of a 2017 row when Spicer accused GCHQ of wiretapping Trump campaign and they hit back calling it "utterly ridiculous".

Some more info unpacking it all...

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1121006942502182913

That Spicer comment was referencing Fox News commentator Andrew Napolitano. He in turn was partly basing claim on ex-CIA analyst Larry Johnson. Trump quoting Larry here again.

Why reignite claim now? Trump has vowed to turn the tables on people who launched the Russia probe now Mueller has concluded no conspiracy. That includes US intel / justice figures who begun investigation before 2016 election.

Trump orbit has long been suspicious of various UK links. Christopher Steele was ex-MI6. George Papadopoulos meetings happened in London. Stefan Halper, who allegedly approached campaign figures for FBI, was a Cambridge Uni academic.

US officials involved in starting probe before 2016 election insist they were acting in public interest, reacting to genuinely concerning info.

Trump + allies accuse them of overreach, alleging a 'deep state' attempt to undermine him based on bias. Trump has claimed "treason".

Row likely to escalate as Trump's attorney general is now looking into how Russia inquiry was set-up. [Also there is a political advantage for White House, delegitimising Mueller findings.]

So this is not going away.

Here's what GCHQ said in 2017. Have referred back to it today.

"Recent allegations made by media commentator Judge Andrew Napolitano about GCHQ being asked to conduct 'wire tapping' against the then President Elect are nonsense. They are utterly ridiculous and should be ignore."

Full write-up of the row [mark two] over here. telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/2…