Changes

Obama and his director of national intelligence [[James R. Clapper Jr.]] as well as the head of the FBI have denied that this happened.<ref name=wiretap/> "There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president, the president-elect at the time, or as a candidate, or against his campaign," Clapper told NBC.<ref>Kailani Koenig, "[http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/former-dni-james-clapper-i-can-deny-wiretap-trump-tower-n729261 Former [[DNI]] James Clapper: ‘I Can Deny’ Wiretap of Trump Tower]", NBC News, MAR 5 2017</ref> In turn, Trump called for a congressional investigation of the alleged wiretapping.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/03/05/statement-press-secretary|title=Statement from the Press Secretary|date=March 5, 2017|accessdate=}}</ref>

Obama and his director of national intelligence [[James R. Clapper Jr.]] as well as the head of the FBI have denied that this happened.<ref name=wiretap/> "There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president, the president-elect at the time, or as a candidate, or against his campaign," Clapper told NBC.<ref>Kailani Koenig, "[http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/former-dni-james-clapper-i-can-deny-wiretap-trump-tower-n729261 Former [[DNI]] James Clapper: ‘I Can Deny’ Wiretap of Trump Tower]", NBC News, MAR 5 2017</ref> In turn, Trump called for a congressional investigation of the alleged wiretapping.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/03/05/statement-press-secretary|title=Statement from the Press Secretary|date=March 5, 2017|accessdate=}}</ref>

According to Executive Order 12333 issued by President Ronald Reagan in December 1981, "Elements of the Intelligence Community are authorized to collect, retain, or disseminate information concerning United States persons...obtained in the course of a lawful foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, international drug or international terrorism investigation." Thus the U.S. intelligence community can perform surveillance without a warrant as long as the target of the investigation is, at least nominally, something other than a "U.S. person."<ref>"[https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/meet-executive-order-12333-the-reagan-rule-that-lets-the-nsa-spy-on-americans/2014/07/18/93d2ac22-0b93-11e4-b8e5-d0de80767fc2_story.html Meet Executive Order 12333: The Reagan rule that lets the NSA spy on Americans]", ''Washington Post'', July 18, 2014.</ref> Under previous presidents, this provision applied only to the National Security Agency. In the last days of the Obama administration, access to surveillance data was expanded to encompass all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies.<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/us/politics/nsa-gets-more-latitude-to-share-intercepted-communications.html?_r=0 N.S.A. Gets More Latitude to Share Intercepted Communications]", ''New York Times, Jan. 12, 2017.</ref>

According to Executive Order 12333 issued by President Ronald Reagan in December 1981, "Elements of the Intelligence Community are authorized to collect, retain, or disseminate information concerning United States persons...obtained in the course of a lawful foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, international drug or international terrorism investigation." Thus the U.S. intelligence community can perform surveillance without a warrant as long as the target of the investigation is, at least nominally, something other than a "U.S. person."<ref>"[https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/meet-executive-order-12333-the-reagan-rule-that-lets-the-nsa-spy-on-americans/2014/07/18/93d2ac22-0b93-11e4-b8e5-d0de80767fc2_story.html Meet Executive Order 12333: The Reagan rule that lets the NSA spy on Americans]", ''Washington Post'', July 18, 2014.</ref> Under previous presidents, this provision applied only to the National Security Agency. In the last days of the Obama administration, access to surveillance data was expanded to encompass all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies.<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/us/politics/nsa-gets-more-latitude-to-share-intercepted-communications.html?_r=0 N.S.A. Gets More Latitude to Share Intercepted Communications]", ''New York Times, Jan. 12, 2017.</ref>