When asked in an interview with The New York Times whether Rice had committed a crime, Trump responded: “Do I think? Yes, I think.”

On Tuesday, Rice denied reports that she’d asked intelligence officials to reveal the names of Trump associates who were being subject to surveillance. There is no indication that Rice actually did anything wrong, but many conservatives have seized on her supposed misconduct as evidence that former President Barack Obama ordered wiretapping on Trump’s presidential campaign. In reality, there is no indication Obama ever did any such thing.

“I leaked nothing to nobody,” Rice told MSNBC. “I never have and never will.”

Trump on Wednesday continued to stand by his wiretapping allegation, which has no discernible basis in fact.

“I think it’s going to be the biggest story,” he said. “It’s such an important story for our country and the world. It is one of the big stories of our time.”

The president would not provide any evidence for the claim, which has been debunked by numerous intelligence officials. Likewise, multiple congressional investigations have not turned up any proof that such activity occurred.

After the Times repeatedly pressed him, Trump said he would explain his wiretapping claim “at the right time.”

Rice has become somewhat of a scapegoat for Republicans on the issue of Trump’s ties to Russia, just as she became a scapegoat for the GOP’s persistent criticism of the Obama administration’s handling of the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.