The Trump administration has issued subpoenas to several New York Times journalists, compelling them to testify before a grand jury. This action comes after the newspaper published a report detailing security concerns with the president’s new Air Force One.
The US Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday regarding the subpoenas. However, press freedom advocates swiftly voiced their consternation over the development.
The Washington DC-based National Press Club released a statement asserting that federal prosecutors’ “decision to subpoena journalists at the New York Times should alarm every American because it threatens the public’s constitutional right to an independent press.” The organization urged the Justice Department to “immediately withdraw these subpoenas and reaffirm a principle that has long distinguished the United States: a free and independent press serves the people, not the government.”
David McCraw, a lawyer for the Times, echoed these sentiments, stating that “the appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the [US] constitution and the press freedom it protects.”
The New York Times report, citing anonymous sources, indicated that the new Air Force One, a $400 million gift from Qatar, lacked antimissile capabilities and other protective features found on older models. The plane had its maiden voyage on July 1, taking Donald Trump to North Dakota, and more recently transported the president to a Nato summit in Turkey.
Amid speculation about the Qatari-gifted jet’s security systems, President Trump flew part of the return journey from Turkey on an older-model Air Force One presidential jet. This occurred during the collapse of a ceasefire with Iran, a country sharing a border with Turkey, against which the US and Israel launched war in late February. The Times further reported that the Secret Service requested Trump use an older Air Force One for part of the return trip.
When questioned about potential credible threats from Iran against Air Force One, President Trump responded, “I have a threat all the time. I’m number one on their list.”
The White House, however, denied any security shortcomings with the new aircraft, describing it as “state-of-the-art.” White House spokesperson Steven Cheung stated that the new Air Force One “has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the president and his staff.” Cheung added, “As the president has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal – including distraction and misdirection – to address those threats.”
Among the New York Times journalists who received subpoenas for grand jury testimony were Julian E Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt.
Grand juries in the US are one of the mechanisms prosecutors use to criminally charge defendants. Reports from June indicated that Justice Department officials, purportedly investigating national security leaks, had previously subpoenaed journalists from the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. Those subpoenas were later withdrawn after the outlets contested them in sealed court filings.
The Trump administration has a history of targeting news organizations and other media figures throughout both of his presidencies. Recent notable examples include the pursuit of criminal charges against journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, and photographer Junn Bollman, for their coverage of a January protest at a Minnesota church where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official serves as pastor. Additionally, in January, a federal grand jury in Maryland indicted a US military contractor on accusations of leaking classified documents, a case that led to an FBI raid on a Washington Post reporter’s home.
