President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he “didn’t understand” FBI Director Christopher Wray’s testimony that the FBI did not spy while investigating the Trump campaign, Politico reports.
When asked during testimony before a Senate appropriations subcommittee, Wray said that “spying” is “not the term I would use. Lots of people have different colloquial phrases. I believe that the FBI is engaged in investigative activity, and part of investigative activity includes surveillance.”
Trump told reporters on Tuesday, "I didn't understand his answer.”
He then referred to Attorney General William Barr, who said last month that “spying did occur,” before he was leading the Justice Department.
“I thought the attorney general answered it perfectly,” Trump said. “So I certainly didn't understand that answer. I thought it was a ridiculous answer."
Former FBI Director James Comey told CBS This Morning last week that the bureau “doesn’t spy,” and said he “had no idea” why Barr had used that word.
“I have no idea what [Barr’s] talking about. The FBI doesn’t spy. The FBI investigates,” Comey said.