presidency draw close barack obama top aid routinely review intelligence report glean national security agency incidental intercept americans abroad take advantage rule boss relax start 2011 help government good fight terrorism espionage foreign enemies hack threats circa learned.dozens time 2016 intelligence report identify americans directly intercept talk foreign source subject conversations two monitor foreign figure sometimes americans name officially unmask time specifically describe report identities readily discernible among clear request consume unmask nsa-based intelligence report u.s. citizens obama national security adviser susan rice cia director john brennan then-attorney general loretta lynch.some intercept communications november january involve trump transition figure foreign figure perceptions incoming president administration intercept involve congressional figure also unmask occasionally time.read circa dirty politics obama intel rule change open door spy americans