still his remark about us having a right to privacy but not a fundamental right to data protection just plain irks me.
Its typical weasel words from government officials who seem to find no method unreasonable if it lets them circumvent the intent of the Constitution. They love to forget it was a document which limited the government, not us.
It wouldn't surprise me if they set up some relatively junior diplomat to make statements like this to test the water and to allow deniability if it all goes too wrong.
The EU and the US squabble all the time about trade - it would be pretty surprising if they didn't!
e.g. Consider the long running argument over Boeing and Airbus.