doesn't really think that president obama went up and tapped his phone personally. >> reporter: after saying last week the president's tweets with the extraordinary allegations spoke for themselves, white house press secretary sean spicer said this today. >> there were actions about surveillance and other activities that occurred in the 2016 election. that is a widely reported activity that occurred back then. the president used the word "wiretap" to mean broadly surveillance and other activities. >> reporter: but that's not true. it was not widely reported surveillance took place in the campaign. and the president stated the wiretapping allegation as fact in this tweet that started it all. how low has president obama gone to tap my phones during the very sacred election process? this is nixon water gate. bad or sick guy. at his first cabinet meeting today, the president again brushed aside questions. >> any comment on the wiretapping? >> reporter: bun of his top advisers, kellyanne conway, muddied the already confusing waters over surveillance during