FBI chief 'rejects' Trump's Obama claim

FBI director James Comey has rejected President Donald Trump's claim on Saturday that his predecessor, Barack Obama, tapped his phone, US media say.

Mr Comey reportedly asked the US justice department to reject the allegation Mr Obama ordered a wiretap during last year's election campaign, reports BBC.

He is said to have asked for the correction because it falsely insinuates that the FBI broke the law.

The development was reported by the New York Times and confirmed by NBC.

The justice department did not issue any immediate statement in response to Mr Comey's reported request.

US media quoted officials as saying that Mr Comey believed there was no evidence to support Mr Trump's allegation.

From an FBI director this is a startling rebuke of a sitting president and he will be under pressure from Democrats to voice it publicly, the BBC's Nick Bryant reports from Washington.

The Republican president, who faces intense scrutiny over alleged Russian interference in support of his presidential bid, has offered no evidence to support his allegation that phones at Trump Tower were tapped last year.

The New York Times and NBC reports came as the White House called on Congress to investigate whether the Obama administration had abused its powers.

Both Congress and the FBI are currently investigating contacts between the Trump election campaign and Russian officials, after US intelligence agencies assessed that Russia had interfered with the election to help Mr Trump win against his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said there had been "very troubling" reports "concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election".