Putin praises Snowden and US officials publicly defend surveillance while US politicians call for clemency

Putin praises Snowden and US officials publicly defend surveillance while US politicians call for clemency The passage repeats well‑known public statements by Putin, Obama, Ron and Rand Paul about Snowden and surveillance. It contains no new factual leads, transaction details, or undisclosed relationships, offering only contextual background that is already widely reported. Key insights: Putin praised Snowden as exposing illegal US actions.; Obama and Congress condemned Snowden despite public support.; Poll data shows high public distrust of government post‑Snowden.