122/5000 The continuous indiscriminate eavesdropping by the US over the years has dealt a heavy blow to transatlantic relations, weakening mutual trust and deepening the rift between the two sides.

The continuous indiscriminate eavesdropping by the US over the years has dealt a heavy blow to transatlantic relations, weakening mutual trust and deepening the rift between the two sides. But even if mutual trust is weakened and the eavesdropping episode seriously undermines relations between the two countries, America's spying will continue. Just because Europe is a "free lunch" for the NSA, the US is not willing to give up such intelligence hegemony.