FBI denies Trump claims of Obama wiretapping

Donald Trump's claims that predecessor Barack Obama ordered the wiretapping of rooms in Trump Tower during the presidential election campaign have been firmly denied by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI has asked the US Justice Department to refute the claims made by the president, saying that Obama did not have the power to eavesdrop in such a way and would require approval from the courts.

FBI director James Comey made the request during the weekend, according to a report from the New York Times.

The controversy surrounding President Trump's claims is the latest in a long line of spats between the Republican and intelligence agencies in the US, following several reports which concluded that Trump's team was aided by Russia in the months leading up to the election.

Trump tweeted on Saturday that he had been informed of the alleged wiretapping and criticised the former Democrat president.

"Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" Trump added.

Congress was asked by Trump's aides to investigate whether Obama's administration abused its powers during the election campaign.

"President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement on Sunday.