Trump, after House panel subpoenas, backs probing Obama administration

WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - Wading into a political feud over the latest subpoenas in the US House Intelligence Committee's Russia probe, US President Donald Trump on Thursday (June 1) backed efforts to investigate actions by US security and other officials under previous president Barack Obama.

"The big story is the 'unmasking and surveillance' of people that took place during the Obama Administration," Trump said in a tweet, one day after the committee's Republican chairman subpoenaed the CIA, FBI and National Security Agency amid complaints by Democrats that they were not consulted.

On Wednesday, committee Chairman Devin Nunes asked the agencies for details of any requests made by two top Obama administration aides and the former CIA director to "unmask" Trump campaign advisers inadvertently picked up in top-secret foreign communications intercepts, according to congressional sources.

Another congressional source, who also requested anonymity, said Democrats were "informed and consulted" ahead of time, but committee aides said they were not told.

Nunes has publicly recused himself from leading the panel's probe into suspected Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election following a secret visit he paid to White House officials, but he retains subpoena power.

A senior committee aide said Wednesday's subpoenas were separate from the Russia probe.

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