It may seem hard to believe, but countries like Germany did operate by the assumption that the Americans at least have good intentions. Everybody knows that the US can and will push their agenda when they think it is important, but often nobody sees real harm in cooperating either.
That is also why the spying on Merkel is extremely harmful to American-German relations. It changes the view of the public at large on the US.
That is also why the spying on Merkel is extremely harmful to American-German relations. It changes the view of the public at large on the US.