Trump and his staffers have not backed away from the false allegation, despite having been rebuked publicly by FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Mike Rogers during congressional testimony on Monday.

The Journal painted a stark image of Trump’s refusal to back down: “Yet the President clings to his assertion like a drunk to an empty gin bottle, rolling out his press spokesman to make more dubious claims.”…

All parties mentioned by the Trump White House in its attempts to establish Trump’s wiretapping claims have categorically denied the allegations.

Still, Trump and his White House have persisted, and The Journal wrote that the gravity of Trump’s headstrong motivations carry potentially devastating consequences.

The editorial board concluded: “If he doesn’t show more respect for the truth, most Americans may conclude he’s a fake president.”