Trump Administration Subpoenas New York Times Reporters After Air Force One Story
The Trump administration has subpoenaed several New York Times journalists after the newspaper reported on security concerns involving the new Air Force One, according to the Times and the Associated Press.
The subpoenas seek testimony before a federal grand jury in Manhattan. The Times said federal agents delivered some subpoenas to reporters’ homes. The journalists identified by the paper include Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt.
The dispute began after the Times reported that President Donald Trump used an older Air Force One for part of his return from a NATO summit in Turkey. The report cited anonymous sources who said the newer plane lacked some advanced security features, including antimissile capabilities. Trump denied that security concerns drove the plane switch, and the White House said the aircraft is equipped with high level security protocols.
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The Justice Department defended the subpoenas by saying reporters are not the targets and that investigators are pursuing leaks of classified information. That response places the case at the center of a familiar legal conflict, where the government argues national security while news organizations warn that compelling reporters to testify can expose confidential sourcing and chill reporting on government conduct.
Reaction from press freedom groups was immediate. The National Press Club called on DOJ to withdraw the subpoenas, while the Freedom of the Press Foundation criticized the government’s national security rationale.
The next step is whether prosecutors press forward with grand jury testimony or withdraw the subpoenas, as DOJ did earlier this year after similar efforts involving reporters from The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal.
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