The New York Times has moved to quash subpoenas that sought phone records of several of its reporters as well as their spouses and one reporter's mother. These subpoenas were issued as part of a Justice Department investigation attempting to uncover confidential sources who provided information for the Times' reporting on the security systems of the Qatar-donated Air Force One plane.

The subpoenas, which did not specify any particular allegations, requested that the reporters testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan regarding an alleged violation of federal criminal law. The Times revealed that the subpoenas were received on the same day the news organization first reported that the Secret Service had advised President Trump to use the old presidential aircraft when departing from Turkey.

President Trump had flown on the new Air Force One to the NATO summit in Ankara, where concerns were raised about the jet's defensive military capabilities. The White House, through spokesman Steven Cheung, described the new plane as "a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff." White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt added that "The new Air Force One is perfectly safe for the President's travels, but will receive additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall which will take approximately one month to complete."

David McCraw, the Times' senior vice president and deputy general counsel, called the subpoenas "abusive and improper" and announced the company's move to quash them. Lawyers representing the Times criticized the Justice Department's actions as "bad-faith efforts to intimidate the Journalists and chill their ability to report," describing the government's disclosures as "deeply troubling for obvious reasons."

The timing of the subpoenas suggests the Justice Department's investigation extends beyond the specific articles published on July 8 and 9, 2026, aiming instead to gather broader information about the journalists' source relationships. The Times emphasized that the subpoenas came months before the company or other news organizations began reporting on security concerns related to the new plane.

One of the reporters involved had previously covered President Trump's 2024 campaign and worked as an associate producer for "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."

Sources