Surveillance reports included the names of some individuals on Trump's team, Nunes said, which is "perhaps legal." He quickly followed up by saying, "but I don't know if it's right."
"I think the President is concerned and he should be," Nunes added. The committee still needs more time to investigate, but some of the espionage activity "seems to be inappropriate."
The individuals subject to surveillance "appear" to be under FISA warrants, adding that multiple FISA warrants are "out there." The NSA is cooperating very well with the investigation, Nunes commented.
Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the committee, was not briefed by Nunes.
The FBI has rejected allegations that surveillance was conducted against Donald Trump prior to November 8. The data was collected in November, December, and January, Nunes explicated. Trump had taken to Twitter to blast the "bad (or sick)" President Barack Obama for "wiretapping," which Trump maintained could include broad forms of surveillance. Nunes confirmed that Trump himself was not the subject of an investigation. Nevertheless, Nunes "confirmed" that not once, not twice, but "on numerous occassions" US intelligence agencies "incidentally collected information about US citizens involved in the Trump transition." The individuals' names were explicity stated in intelligence data, potentially constituting a legal violation, he said.
"I have seen intelligence reports that clearly show the president-elect and his team were at least monitored and disseminated in what appears to be itelligence reporting channels," the representative siad. "None of the surveillance was related to Russia, or the investigation of Russian activities," he noted.
"I somewhat do," Trump said in response to a reporter's question whether the President felt vindicated for his tweet alleging that Obama had 'wiretapped' Trump Tower. "I very much appreciated the fact that they found what they found."
According to Nunes, Trump Tower was not "wiretapped" prior to the election, as the President originally accused.
