Little bit about how this actually works before we get started with our conversation. Every day around the world, intelligence agents monitor the communications of foreign agents and officials. Sometimes as a part of this, they pick up communications between those officials and americans. This is called incidental surveillance. And according to experts of all political stripes, it is completely routine. The identities of americans are masked or hidden in the intelligence reports. General michael hayden, a former director of the cia and the nsa described what happens next with those reports. One thing to importantly keep in mind, that report doesnt get to her desk unless someone at fort immediate at nsa already thinks it has significant foreign intelligence. So what general hayden is saying for a report of incidental Collection Featuring an american to make it to the desk of the National Security adviser, it would have been flagged as something of significance by intelligence agents at