Free Republic

The White House refused on Monday to confirm a report that President Obama first learned this summer that the U.S. was spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phones. Press Secretary Jay Carney whiffed on a perfectly teed-up chance to legitimize a Wall Street Journal story that also had Obama ending the National Security Agency program immediately when he learned that the agency was surveiling foreign leaders. Addressing questions about alleged U.S. spying on Merkel, Carney would only say that 'we do not and will not monitor the chancellor’s communications.' Obama reportedly denied it during a phone call Wednesday with...

Susan Rice will replace Tom Donilon as national security adviser, the White House is expected to announce Wednesday. Rice, currently the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, will be formally introduced in her new role by President Barack Obama at 2 p.m. ET. A White House official says Samantha Power, a former special assistant to the president on the National Security Council, will be nominated to replace Susan Rice as the U.N. ambassador.