Nearly two weeks ago, President Trump tweeted explicitly, “Just found out Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower,” which turned out to be a controversial statement. In addition to the fact that it is an impetuous accusation of a former President of the United States and an unprecedented scandal if proven to be true, it feeds the mistrust of government and media that has already proven to be so pervasive since the 2016 election and its aftermath. Many took issue with the accusation immediately before any investigation ensued, but House Speaker Paul Ryan told the press shortly after the tweet and its controversy surfaced that the President’s claims would have to be investigated.
The tweet came while media has already spent months investigating the Trump Administration’s (and the Trump Campaign’s) alleged ties to and support from Russia. Circumstantial evidence has accumulated on an almost monthly basis since the election to suggest that the DNC hack, confirmed by the CIA to have been orchestrated by two Russian, cyberattack teams, was an attempt to help Donald Trump win the election. During the campaign and throughout his incumbency thus far, though, Trump has cautioned the American people all along against trusting the media, warning citizens to be wary of fake news.
