Donald Trump stops interview after being confronted about his Obama wiretap claims

President made the unsubstantiated claims in March but refused to defend them during April interview

Donald Trump cut short an interview after he was pushed to explain his allegations that former President Barack Obama wiretapped his phone.

On CBS “Face The Nation”, host John Dickerson pressed Mr Trump on various topics including his first 100 days in the White House and his new health care plans, but Mr Trump stopped when he was asked about the alleged wiretap.

Mr Dickerson first asked the President if he stood by his claim that Mr Obama was a “sick and bad guy”.

“I don’t stand by anything,” he replied. “I just – you can take it the way you want. I think our side’s been proven very strongly. And everybody’s talking about it. And frankly it should be discussed. I think that is a very big surveillance of our citizens. I think it’s a very big topic. And it’s a topic that should find out what the hell is going on.”

The host then pushed Mr Trump to explain further, but the President cut him off, responding, “You don’t have to ask me.”

“Why not?” Mr Dickerson asked.

“Because I have my own opinions. You can have your own opinions.”

“But you’re the President of the United States,” the host countered.

Mr Trump then decided to stop the interview, saying, “Ok, it’s enough. Thank you.”

The President made the explosive and unsubstantiated claims two months after his Inauguration, and after he met the former President and said he thought Mr Obama was a "very good man".

Yet in March Mr Trump cited a commentator on Fox News who accused Mr Obama and the UK's intelligence headquarters, GCHQ, for also wiretapping Trump Tower.

The allegation was denied by UK officials and dismissed by US intelligence agencies.

The same interview with CBS, which was pre-recorded and aired on 1 May, raised numerous questions about the President asides from the alleged wiretap claims.

Mr Dickerson asked the President if he would start military action against North Korea.

“I don’t know. I mean, we’ll see,” Mr Trump said.

On his new effort to get a Republican health care bill passed, Mr Trump insisted the bill would cover pre-existing conditions, but did not point out that those people would be placed in high-risk insurance pools and pay much higher premiums.

Asked when he would finally release his tax returns, Mr Trump replied, “It could happen soon. I don't know."