"By law, NSLs can request only non-content information, for example, transactional records and phone numbers dialed." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_se

"By law, NSLs can request only non-content information, for example, transactional records and phone numbers dialed." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_security_letter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_security_letter Executive orders are also subject to law. An executive order would not have made Nixon's wiretaps legal, for example.