Given current mode of CIA operations, that does makes a certain twisted brand of sense. They were getting away with monitoring communications of highest echelon

Given current mode of CIA operations, that does makes a certain twisted brand of sense. They were getting away with monitoring communications of highest echelons of allied nations. Presumably to provide white house and military with up to date info on global state of affairs. From their point of view, why should they not monitor internal affairs to provide white house with clear picture of what is going wrong? Never mind that it is outside of their mandate, legality of surveillance is hotly debated topic right now.