The contents of the conversation itself are not covered”, The Guardian explained.
The NSA and Verizon declined to comment.
Meanwhile, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Mike Rogers, said the phone records programme did not abuse civil liberties and had helped to stop a “significant” terror attack in recent years.
And Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters the court order represents an extension of an ongoing practise.
The disclosure comes as the Obama administration is already under fire on other privacy and First Amendment issues, including the seizure of Associated Press journalists’ calling records and the emails of a Fox television reporter.