"We are not going to comment publicly on every specified alleged intelligence activity. As a matter of policy we have made clear that the United States gathers foreign intelligence of the type gathered by all nations," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said.
Germany today summoned the US ambassador over claims that Chancellor Merkel's mobile phone may have been monitored for several years by American intelligence services.
"Spying between friends, that's just not done," Merkel said as she reached Brussels for a two-day European Union summit where the growing spy scandal has hijacked the agenda.
"I said that to US President Barack Obama when he came to Berlin and again on the phone (Wednesday). We need trust between partners and such trust needs to be re-established," Merkel said.
Obama spoke with Merkel and reassured her that the United States is not and will not monitor the her communications, Carney said.
" The revelations that have appeared of late have obviously caused tensions in our relationships with some countries, and we are dealing with that set of issues through diplomatic channels," he said.
"We are also, as the President has said, clearly and publicly, engaged in a review of our intelligence gathering operations with an eye to the need to find a balance between our security needs and the security needs of our allies on the one hand, and the privacy concerns that everyone shares," Carney added.