Understanding NSA boss James Clapper's France-spying "denial"

Huh? It seems pretty straightforward that if you want to keep something secret then you shouldn’t tell others. If you do tell others and they decide to turn that information over to someone, how is it insane that the government doesn’t protect your claimed privacy in this shared information?

OK. So tell me how we should protect these people the privacy of these people without also sheltering murderers, rapists, etc. who may also share their exploits with third parties.