President Obama received what sounds like an awkward phone call today from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was reportedly upset by rumors that the NSA has monitored her personal cell phone.

According to a statement released by her spokesman, Merkel insisted in the phone call that “such practices must be stopped immediately” and "made clear that she unequivocally disapproves of such practices, should they be confirmed, and regards them as completely unacceptable."

The German government reportedly learned of the news during an investigation by German magazine Der Spiegel, which has published several articles based on information provided by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

The White House denied that it was actively monitoring Merkel’s phone, though officials stopped short of saying that such eavesdropping had never occurred in the past.

"The president assured the chancellor that the United States is not monitoring and will not monitor the communications of the chancellor," White House spokesman Jay Carney said, according to the Associated Press. "The United States greatly values our close cooperation with Germany on a broad range of shared security challenges."

[Image via AP]