Donald Trump stands by GCHQ and Barack Obama wiretapping claims

Angela Merkel, who was making her first visit to the White House since Mr Trump took office, looked surprised by the president's comment.

US President Donald Trump has defiantly refused to back down from his explosive claim that Barack Obama wiretapped his phones.

But he sidestepped any blame for the White House decision to highlight an unverified report that Britain helped carry out the alleged surveillance.