WASHINGTON — A key Senate leader who’s been a staunch defender of the National Security Agency is now demanding a “total review of all intelligence programs’’ after it was revealed that America has been spying even on its allies.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, sought the move after it surfaced that the NSA eavesdropped on German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone calls, as well as on communications involving other US allies.
“Unless the United States is engaged in hostilities against a country or there is an emergency need for this type of surveillance, I do not believe the United States should be collecting phone calls or e-mails of friendly presidents and prime ministers,” Feinstein said in a statement.
“Unlike NSA’s collection of phone records under a court order, it is clear to me that certain surveillance activities have been in effect for more than a decade and that the Senate Intelligence Committee was not satisfactorily informed.’’
She added, “It is my understanding that President Obama was not aware Chancellor Merkel’s communications were being collected since 2002. That is a big problem.”
Feinstein has defended at least some of the agency’s programs — but said the surveillance of allied leaders was going too far.
“Collection of intelligence on leaders of US allies . . . I am totally opposed,” Feinstein said.
She said the White House told her the program would be stopped.
But a senior administration official said Feinstein was not being completely accurate when she said that.
“We are also looking at whether the system . . . could be modified to provide better policy guidance for our intelligence activities,’’ said National Security Council Spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden. “The administration’s review is ongoing.”