Federal agents delivered grand jury subpoenas to four New York Times reporters one day after they published a story about security issues with a jet donated to President Donald Trump by Qatar. The subpoenas seek testimony before a grand jury in Manhattan this week. This marks the third such effort by the Justice Department targeting journalists.
The Times article detailed how the aircraft was left behind during Trump’s recent trip to Turkey. Anonymous government sources told the reporters that the plane lacked necessary security features found on the original Air Force One.
Justice Department spokespeople said the subpoenas aim to ensure that people entrusted with national secrets handle the information properly. They added that reporters are not the targets and that the focus is on those leaking classified information.
The subpoenas follow similar actions against the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. Those earlier subpoenas were withdrawn after the outlets challenged them in court. On Wednesday, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles worked with FBI Director Kash Patel to demand that officials turn over their phones to investigators.
