The U.S. Department of Justice has ordered several New York Times journalists to testify before a federal grand jury after the newspaper published reports about security concerns involving President Donald Trump’s new Air Force One, a Boeing aircraft donated by Qatar, the newspaper said Saturday.
The New York Times said federal prosecutors issued subpoenas on Friday directing the journalists to appear before a grand jury on Wednesday to provide testimony “in regard to an alleged violation of federal criminal law.” According to the newspaper, the subpoenas were signed by Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, and in some cases were delivered to reporters’ homes by federal agents.
The newspaper described the action as “an extraordinary escalation” in what it characterized as the Trump administration’s efforts to pressure and intimidate independent news organizations. The subpoenas stem from reporting that examined security issues surrounding the president’s acceptance and use of the Qatari-donated aircraft as the next Air Force One.
In a statement to Reuters, a Justice Department spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the subpoenas. The spokesperson said the administration was not targeting journalists but was focused on identifying individuals responsible for leaking classified information.
The White House declined to comment directly on the matter and referred all inquiries to the Justice Department.
The development immediately drew condemnation from journalism and press freedom organizations, which argued that compelling reporters to testify about their reporting threatens constitutional protections for a free press.
The National Press Club called on the Justice Department to withdraw the subpoenas without delay, saying the government’s actions crossed a significant line in its treatment of journalists.
“When federal agents arrive at the homes of journalists with subpoenas, it is not ordinary law enforcement,” the organization said in a statement. “It is an extraordinary assault on the freedom of the press that strikes at the heart of the First Amendment.”
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press also criticized the move and urged lawmakers to scrutinize Clayton’s conduct. Trump recently nominated Clayton to serve as director of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the organization called on the Senate Intelligence Committee to question him during his confirmation hearing scheduled for next Wednesday.
Stephen J. Adler, chairman of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, warned that the administration’s actions could have lasting consequences for journalism and public accountability.
“When the public’s right to know is crushed, as the Trump Administration is trying to do with its subpoenas against The New York Times, all of us suffer irreparable harm, as does the freedom upon which this nation is built,” Adler said in a statement.
The subpoenas follow heightened attention to Trump’s new presidential aircraft after reports raised questions about the security implications of accepting a Boeing jet donated by Qatar for presidential use.
Earlier this week, Trump said he planned to fly aboard an older Air Force One from Ankara to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom “for old time’s sake” while the newly donated aircraft remained at the British base to allow U.S. military personnel stationed there to tour the plane.
However, video recorded later Wednesday showed Trump boarding the new Qatari-donated Air Force One at RAF Mildenhall before it departed for the United States, underscoring the aircraft’s increasingly prominent role in presidential travel despite the continuing controversy surrounding its acquisition.
The dispute highlights the growing tension between the Trump administration and major news organizations over national security reporting, while raising broader questions about the balance between protecting classified information and safeguarding the constitutional role of a free and independent press.
