Trump’s Justice Department subpoenas NY Times journalists over Qatari Air Force One report
The Trump administration has issued subpoenas to multiple journalists at The New York Times after the newspaper reported on security concerns about the president’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One, marking the latest salvo in its efforts to intimidate the media.
The Justice Department subpoenas seek to compel the journalists to appear before a federal grand jury in New York City Wednesday, according to the Times. Some reporters received the documents from federal agents who turned up at their homes.
The documents, issued by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, are sparse on specifics. They state that the journalists’ testimony is sought “in regard to an alleged violation of federal criminal law.”
The newspaper swiftly condemned the administration’s actions. Times attorney David McCraw said: “The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects.”
He added: “This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs.”
In a statement to The Independent, the DOJ said its investigation is aimed not at reporters but at those who leak classified information. “We value and appreciate the important role that the press plays in this country,” the statement read, in part.
Since Trump’s return to office, his administration have moved aggressively against the press, filing lawsuits against multiple outlets and limiting White House access for others.
Trump has branded reporters he clashes with as “treasonous” and said one journalist could “go to jail” over reporting on the Iran war. For years, the Republican has referred to the media as “the enemy of the people.”
Among the Times reporters who received subpoenas are Julian Barnes, Tyler Pager, Eric Schmitt and Eric Lipton. A report, published Wednesday under their four bylines, revealed that Trump had left the NATO summit in Turkey aboard the old Air Force One plane as a precautionary measure at the direction of the Secret Service. The report cited anonymous sources.
The new Air Force One, a $400 million Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar, lacks “some of the advanced security features of the older aircraft, including antimissile capabilities,” according to the Times.
The jet, an expensive gift that has raised ethics and security concerns among Democrats, was retrofitted by the Pentagon earlier this year and officially unveiled by Trump last month.
Trump said Wednesday he would be flying the older aircraft out of Turkey “for old times’s sake.” He later denied that security concerns factored into the decision.
Before the Times published the article, an FBI official contacted the outlet and asked that it be held, citing national security concerns. The official also asked the newspaper to reveal its sources for the article, which the outlet declined to do.
This week, multiple other outlets, including CNN andCBS News, published similar reports on apparent security concerns related to the new Air Force One.
