White House Won’t Comment on NSA Leaker Edward Snowden
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JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/GettyImages(WASHINGTON) — The White House offered no comment Monday about Edward Snowden, the contract employee for the National Security Agency who has admitted that he leaked the stories about the NSA’s vast surveillance programs.
When pressed by reporters at his daily briefing, administration press secretary Jay Carney said, “I’m not going to comment on a specific case or individual” because of a criminal investigation that has started into Snowden’s claims.
Carney revealed that President Obama was briefed about Snowden’s disclosure that he tipped off a columnist for The Guardian about the collection of Americans’ phone records and spying on foreigners’ Internet activity.
The White House spokesman reiterated the president’s previous remarks of the need “to strike the appropriate balance” that protects both national security and personal privacy.
Obama did not mention anything about Snowden or the case during public events Monday.
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