The U.S. Department of Justice has issued subpoenas to journalists from The New York Times following their coverage of security concerns surrounding the new Air Force One, which was a gift to President Donald Trump from Qatar. This move signifies a significant escalation in Trump’s ongoing battle against the media.
The subpoenas were delivered on Friday and require the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday. The FBI director Kash Patel and other Justice Department officials discussed the matter at the White House on Friday. The subpoenas were issued to investigate leaks of classified information, with the Justice Department emphasizing that reporters are not the targets, but rather those responsible for leaking sensitive data.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press expressed concern over the subpoenas, labeling them as part of Trump’s broader campaign against the media. Trump’s administration has previously taken actions to undermine press freedom, such as filing lawsuits and threats against critical news outlets.
Regarding the security concerns with the new Air Force One, the president flew the aircraft to a NATO summit in Turkey, but later switched to an older model for a flight to England. Speculation arose about the new plane’s security features, given its lack of certain advanced systems compared to the older aircraft. Trump dismissed these concerns, stating that the plane switch was to showcase the new jet to service members.
Despite the controversy, the White House denied any security issues with the new Air Force One, asserting that it is equipped with high-level security protocols. The journalists from The New York Times who received subpoenas included Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt.
