Congress GOP refuses to back Trump's wiretap claim Several Republican senators said the president again stepped on his messaging with an unfounded accusation.

President Donald Trump will have to look somewhere besides Republican-controlled Capitol Hill for backup to his explosive and unsubstantiated charge that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower before the election.

Trump was reportedly incensed Sunday that Republicans didn’t defend his allegations on the Sunday shows — in fact, several pointedly refused to lend Trump a lifeline when pressed. And more than 48 hours after the initial allegation, Republicans in Congress remained mostly mum as the controversy flared and threatened to create a lingering distraction for them as they try to pass major legislation in the coming weeks.


Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan offered no comment on the matter. And some of the chief critics of the Obama administration on Capitol Hill said they were aware of no evidence to support Trump’s claim.

“Boy. I have no idea,” said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, appearing puzzled. “I mean, I don’t know what’s behind it. I’m hoping in the next few days we’ll find out,” said Thune, the chamber’s third-ranking Republican.

It was perhaps the most vivid example of Trump’s “tweet first, ask questions later” policy damaging the fortunes of the congressional GOP. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) said the lesson for the president should be that some notions are best left unsaid.

“There’s something called the unexpressed thought, which would probably aid the president well,” Roskam said.

The unsubstantiated allegations are putting the congressional GOP in a box. If Republicans jump in behind Trump wholeheartedly, they risk being proved wrong by congressional probes into Russia’s influence on the election. But they also know all too well that Trump harbors grudges and values loyalty from his allies.

The president is unorthodox, Republicans say, but this one really has them scratching their heads.

“I don’t know where Trump is coming from on this,” said one top Republican, who would speak only on the condition of anonymity. “We’re not worried about this. We have to deal with Obamacare and taxes and other legislative issues.”

It’s an extraordinarily awkward spot for Republicans, particularly because this is not the typical Trump tweetstorm that can blow over after a couple of days. Republicans would much rather Trump be helping them on the herculean task of repealing Obamacare — not adding to the distractions and chaotic atmosphere on Capitol Hill by making GOP lawmakers answer for the president’s accusations.

Trump’s allegations were so inflammatory and so widely covered that he also seemed to stomp on the relatively smooth rollout of his new immigration order, which Republicans mostly praised on Monday after bashing the harried implementation of the first order.

“It does … seem to take away from some pretty good messages that we should be having,” said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). “He probably got it right today on the immigration order. The flesh is coming on the bones of Obamacare repeal and replace. It just steps on policy stories.”

The chairmen of the House and Senate intelligence committees have agreed to add an investigation of Trump’s allegations to their investigations into Russian influence on the presidential election, as Trump demanded of Congress on Sunday. Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said he will “follow the evidence where it leads,” and House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) “will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party’s campaign officials or surrogates.”

Burr added in an interview that he had seen nothing to support Trump's claims.

"We haven't looked specifically for that. But this investigation is going to look at everything," Burr said. "I don't know of anything today to suggest there would be an active tap."

That satisfied some Republican leaders: At least the truth will come out at some point.

“It needs to be investigated along with all the other looks at Russian activity,” said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas). “Most of what you’re hearing from people is just pure speculation. I’d assume [any evidence] would be a classified matter.”

The problem for Republicans is that some of their party’s harshest critics of Obama say there’s no evidence they know of to support Trump’s statements — and it could set up the president for an embarrassing rebuke if he’s proved wrong.

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), who ran the Benghazi committee, said he had seen nothing to back up Trump’s claims. And House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said he has “not seen anything directly that would support what the president has said.”

Other Republicans agreed, including Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Rob Portman of Ohio. Collins and Cotton receive intelligence briefings.

“We just don’t have any evidence. That’s why you’re not hearing members comment on it,” said Portman. “The evidence ought to be brought forward, I agree with that.”

Plus, Trump seems to have only given more ammunition to Democrats who are looking for a wide-ranging, independent investigation into Russia’s influence on the election and contact with Trump campaign officials.

Democrats say that by requesting a congressional investigation, Trump could get more than he bargained for.

“There is no evidence. Not a scintilla, to support his claim that President Obama ordered this wiretapping,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). “These bizarre and apparently baseless claims add more weight to the need for a special prosecutor.”

Natasha Korecki contributed to this report.