The Trump administration has issued subpoenas to multiple New York Times journalists after their reporting on alleged security issues with the new Air Force One, a plane gifted by Qatar that entered service last week. The subpoenas, issued on Friday, require the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday. Federal agents reportedly delivered some subpoenas directly to the journalists' homes.

The New York Times had published stories citing unnamed sources that the Qatari-donated plane was not secure enough, and that the Secret Service advised President Donald Trump to switch to an older Air Force One model when leaving a NATO summit in Turkey.

The Justice Department stated it is investigating illegal leaks of national security information. It emphasized the importance of protecting classified information while also recognizing the press's role.

David McCraw, the Times's top newsroom lawyer, condemned the subpoenas as a "brazen act" and an attempt to intimidate journalists, stating, "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."

Mark Schoeff Jr, president of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said the subpoenas "should alarm every American because it threatens the public's constitutional right to an independent press."

Adam Steinbaugh, senior attorney for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, warned that the subpoenas send a chilling message to journalists and whistleblowers: "Watch what you say, or expect a knock on the door."

Press freedom advocates and members of Congress have condemned the subpoenas as attempts to "threaten and intimidate" independent news organizations, highlighting concerns over the erosion of fundamental democratic freedoms.

There was no immediate response from the White House or the Department of Justice to requests for further comment.

Sources