"Morning Joe" co-host Mike Brzezinski sparred Monday morning with Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, who has broken a series of stories detailing a broad swath of government surveillance by the National Security Agency.

Brzezinski repeatedly challenged Greenwald on whether the programs his reporting has detailed — including NSA data-mining and phone surveillance programs — were really "shocking."

In one heated moment, Brzezinski asked Greenwald if the Obama administration was doing anything illegal.

"Quickly, I just want an answer, yes or no, isn't it the case that reviewing of emails or any wiretapping cannot take place without an additional warrant from a judge and a review?" Brzezinski said. "I mean, it's not like there’s haphazard probing into all of our personal emails. Can we put this into context so we understand exactly what's going on?"

Greenwald accused her of using "White House talking points."

"Yeah, I'll put it into context for you," he said. "The White House talking points that you're using are completely misleading and false."

The only time the government needs a warrant for surveillance, Greenwald said, is when the person is inside the United States.

"Under that law, the U.S. government and the NSA have the power and exercise the power to listen in on telephone conversations and read emails involving all kinds of American citizens. ... So, those talking points that you're reading are false —"

"Hey, Glenn, no," Brzezinski said, interjecting. "I'm not reading talking points. Glenn, I'd like to ask a question, is this legal or illegal? Or Richard Haass, can you help me out here, since Glenn doesn't want to answer the question. Is the law being broken here?

"I questioned the law. I questioned all the issues that this raises. I'm personally concerned as well. But I'd like to put this in perspective. Is the law being broken?"

Later, Brzezinski and co-host Joe Scarborough said Greenwald got "testy" with her, which Scarborough said in jest "shocked and stunned" him.

Watch the clip below, via MSNBC (Greenwald's interview starts about two minutes in):

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