Thomas, an Air Force and intelligence veteran who became deputy inspector general in March 2013, said he “can’t quantify” the amount of oversight he performs on the NSA.

“The bulk of that is in reviews that we have done, and in the collaborative work that we have done with the NSA IG,” Thomas said.

“From my own personal knowledge, those programs, in and of themselves, I was not personally aware,” Thomas said.

Thomas said that through access to forums set up with the various defense-related intelligence inspectors general, which include the NSA, “I see their plans” for reviews and investigations over the course of a given year.

“That doesn’t mean that the DOD IG is saying: ‘well, if you look at that, we won’t look at that.’ Certainly not, but it’s more of an ongoing relationship … a constant discussion,” Thomas said, although he does not currently have plans to investigate NSA bulk surveillance.