Another day, another Trumpwreck.
The BBC:
The US has agreed not to repeat claims the UK’s communications intelligence agency wiretapped Donald Trump during the presidential election campaign.
GCHQ rejected allegations made by White House press secretary Sean Spicer, that it spied on Mr Trump, as “nonsense”.
No 10 has now been assured by Mr Spicer he would not repeat the accusation.
CNN on the apology:
The White House has apologized to the British government after alleging that a UK intelligence agency spied on President Donald Trump at the behest of former President Barack Obama.
National security adviser H.R. McMaster spoke with his British counterpart on Thursday about press secretary Sean Spicer’s comment from the White House podium about a Fox News report that said British intelligence helped wiretap Trump Tower during the 2016 campaign, a White House official said Friday.
The official described the conversation as “cordial” where McMaster described Spicer’s comment as “unintentional.”
I have to admit, I didn’t expect it to be Theresa May to be the first international leader to publicly humiliate the dumb orange bastard like this, but it’s not like she had to do any work. He gave it to her on a silver platter—or rather a gold-painted plastic one that plays the James Bond tune with a little beeper.
UPDATE: According to Buzzfeed, Trump admin insiders insist they did not apologize, but won’t go on the record.
But US officials have been disputed whether the Trump administration had gone as far as an apology. One administration source told BuzzFeed News: “The UK demanded an apology, NSC worked overnight to try and smooth things over.”
The ambiguity over whether it was an apology puts pressure on Trump aides to clarify the exact nature of the conversation. Trump is legendarily opposed to apologizing.