Changes

On January 12, the BBC suggested that the investigation of the Trump campaign was orchestrated by CIA Director [[John Brennan]].<ref>"[https://spectator.org/all-roads-lead-back-to-brennan/ All Roads Lead Back to Brennan]," ''American Spectator'', March 6, 2017</ref> The BBC also reported that:<blockquote>"Lawyers from the National Security Division in the Department of Justice then drew up an application. They took it to the secret US court that deals with intelligence, the Fisa court, named after the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. They wanted permission to intercept the electronic records from two Russian banks. Their first application, in June, was rejected outright by the judge. They returned with a more narrowly drawn order in July and were rejected again. Finally, before a new judge, the order was granted, on 15 October, three weeks before election."<ref>"[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38589427 Trump 'compromising' claims: How and why did we get here?]", BBC, Jan. 12, 2017.</ref></blockquote>

On January 12, the BBC suggested that the investigation of the Trump campaign was orchestrated by CIA Director [[John Brennan]].<ref>"[https://spectator.org/all-roads-lead-back-to-brennan/ All Roads Lead Back to Brennan]," ''American Spectator'', March 6, 2017</ref> The BBC also reported that:<blockquote>"Lawyers from the National Security Division in the Department of Justice then drew up an application. They took it to the secret US court that deals with intelligence, the Fisa court, named after the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. They wanted permission to intercept the electronic records from two Russian banks. Their first application, in June, was rejected outright by the judge. They returned with a more narrowly drawn order in July and were rejected again. Finally, before a new judge, the order was granted, on 15 October, three weeks before election."<ref>"[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38589427 Trump 'compromising' claims: How and why did we get here?]", BBC, Jan. 12, 2017.</ref></blockquote>

The fact that the early leaks appeared in the British press suggests that the source was British intelligence. Mensch, the reporter who broke the story, is a former member of the British Parliament. She later explained that her sources trusted her because she is known as an outspoken supporter of the British intelligence community.<ref>Borger, Julian, "[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/17/louise-mensch-trump-russia-ties-media-scoop Louise Mensch: the former British MP who scooped US media on Trump's Russian ties]", ''The Guardian'', 17 February 2017</ref> Sharing data with [[GCHQ]], the British electronic surveillance agency, is a possible method of evading U.S. legal restrictions regarding the handling of data obtained by the National Security Agency.<ref>"[http://www.dailywire.com/news/14394/bombshell-fox-news-sources-say-obama-used-brits-john-nolte BOMBSHELL: Fox News Sources Say Obama Used Brits To Spy On Donald Trump].", ''DailyWire,'' March 14, 2017.</ref> The US, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have a secret electronic intelligence sharing pact called [[Five Eyes]].<ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jun/21/gchq-cables-secret-world-communications-nsa GCHQ taps fibre-optic cables for secret access to world's communications]", ''The Guardian'', 21 June 2013</ref>

The fact that the early leaks appeared in the British press suggests that the source was British intelligence. Mensch, the reporter who broke the story, is a former member of the British Parliament. She later explained that her sources trusted her because she is known as an outspoken supporter of the British intelligence community.<ref>Borger, Julian, "[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/17/louise-mensch-trump-russia-ties-media-scoop Louise Mensch: the former British MP who scooped US media on Trump's Russian ties]", ''The Guardian'', 17 February 2017</ref> Sharing data with [[GCHQ]], the British electronic surveillance agency, is a possible method of evading U.S. legal restrictions regarding the handling of data obtained by the National Security Agency.<ref>"[http://www.dailywire.com/news/14394/bombshell-fox-news-sources-say-obama-used-brits-john-nolte BOMBSHELL: Fox News Sources Say Obama Used Brits To Spy On Donald Trump].", ''DailyWire,'' March 14, 2017.</ref> The US, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have a secret electronic [[intelligence sharing]] pact called [[Five Eyes]].<ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jun/21/gchq-cables-secret-world-communications-nsa GCHQ taps fibre-optic cables for secret access to world's communications]", ''The Guardian'', 21 June 2013</ref>

The British government denied that the GCHQ had been used to spy on Donald Trump during the 2016 Presidential election, and the White House has promised on March 16, 2017 to not repeat those unfounded allegations.<ref name=wp317>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/03/17/britains-gchq-breaks-its-silence-to-slap-down-claim-it-was-involved-in-trump-wiretap/?utm_term=.6faee656350b|title=Britain: White House says it won’t repeat claims that a British agency wiretapped Trump|date=March 17, 2017|work=Washington Post|accessdate=March 18, 2017}}</ref> “Recent allegations made by media commentator Judge Andrew Napolitano about GCHQ being asked to conduct 'wire tapping' against the then President Elect are nonsense. They are utterly ridiculous and should be ignored,” GCHQ said in a statement.<ref name=wp317/>  A conservative British newspaper then reported that the White House had apologized for White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer repeating those rumors at a press briefing.  An unnamed senior White House official stated:  

The British government denied that the GCHQ had been used to spy on Donald Trump during the 2016 Presidential election, and the White House has promised on March 16, 2017 to not repeat those unfounded allegations.<ref name=wp317>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/03/17/britains-gchq-breaks-its-silence-to-slap-down-claim-it-was-involved-in-trump-wiretap/?utm_term=.6faee656350b|title=Britain: White House says it won’t repeat claims that a British agency wiretapped Trump|date=March 17, 2017|work=Washington Post|accessdate=March 18, 2017}}</ref> “Recent allegations made by media commentator Judge Andrew Napolitano about GCHQ being asked to conduct 'wire tapping' against the then President Elect are nonsense. They are utterly ridiculous and should be ignored,” GCHQ said in a statement.<ref name=wp317/>  A conservative British newspaper then reported that the White House had apologized for White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer repeating those rumors at a press briefing.  An unnamed senior White House official stated: