Trump administration withdraws subpoenas against New York Times journalists over Air Force One security reports
The Trump administration has withdrawn subpoenas issued to New York Times journalists who reported on security concerns about a Qatari-donated Air Force One plane, according to a prosecutor at a court hearing on Thursday.
The subpoenas were issued earlier this month, seeking grand jury testimony from reporters who wrote about the security measures on the new plane compared to the old Air Force One. The New York Times had called the subpoenas a "brazen effort to intimidate the press" and argued that the government did not overcome the legal threshold to compel reporters to disclose confidential sources.
The Department of Justice had defended the subpoenas, arguing that the reporting presented a substantial national security concern. However, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian questioned the administration's actions and threatened sanctions if the subpoenas were not withdrawn.
The New York Times' lawyer, David McCraw, called the withdrawal a "significant affirmation of our country's commitment to freedom of the press." The reports were based on anonymous sources and were published during a period of intense geopolitical tension.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the Department of Justice has stated that it will continue to pursue justice against those threatening national security by leaking classified information.
The withdrawal of the subpoenas follows a hearing where the judge grilled the Trump administration over the subpoenas, which the Times counsel had blasted as harmful and chilling. The DOJ spokesperson said the judge "threatened our attorneys with sanctions unless subpoenas were withdrawn."
The reporters had shared bylines across articles comparing the security measures on the luxury Boeing 747-8 to those on the old Air Force One, citing people briefed on the retrofitting of the plane and the president's travel plans.
The government had previously asked the judge to hold the subpoenas for two weeks while it requested that the Times preserve relevant records. However, the Times had responded that the "time for pursuing alternative investigative steps was before the Government sent armed agents to the Journalists' homes."
The reports about the equipment of the presidential aircraft were published at a time when a ceasefire in the war between the USA and Israel against Iran had failed. The U.S. president has been increasingly cracking down on media since the beginning of his second term.
The withdrawal of the subpoenas was announced by a prosecutor in Manhattan on Thursday. It was also said that another two weeks of investigation would shed more light on the case, which could influence the issuance of orders.
The New York Times had reported that President Donald Trump had left Turkey in the old Air Force One because the new aircraft donated by Qatar lacked missile defense systems and other protective devices. The government and Trump himself had denied that security concerns were the reason for the aircraft change.
A few days ago, Trump announced a retrofit of the machine without providing details. Federal prosecutor Jay Clayton, nominated by Trump as the future U.S. intelligence coordinator, wanted to use the subpoenas to force the disclosure of anonymous sources.
The New York Times had applied to the court to lift the subpoenas, arguing that they were obtained in bad faith to punish the newspaper for its reporting. The withdrawal of the subpoenas is seen as a success for The New York Times in its dispute with the Trump administration.
Critics have accused Trump of using subpoenas to pressure the media, and the New York Times has criticized the measure as an attempt at intimidation and a violation of the freedom of the press enshrined in the constitution.
The public prosecutor's office had initially defended the approach and referred to significant concerns about national security. However, the New York Times had argued that the government should have pursued alternative investigative steps before sending armed agents to the journalists' homes.
The reports about the equipment of the presidential aircraft were published at a time when a ceasefire in the war between the USA and Israel against Iran had failed. The U.S. president has been increasingly cracking down on media since the beginning of his second term.
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