JOURNALISTS SUBPOENAED OVER AIR FORCE ONE SECURITY REPORTING

The U.S. Justice Department has subpoenaed four New York Times journalists after their reporting on security concerns involving President Donald Trump's new Air Force One aircraft, according to CNN, CBS News and NBC News. The subpoenas ordered the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan, raising new press-freedom concerns around the administration's handling of leak investigations.

The subpoenaed journalists were identified as Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt. Their reporting focused on a Qatari-donated aircraft intended for use as a new Air Force One and on alleged security vulnerabilities connected to the plane.

The reporters were ordered to appear before a federal grand jury in Manhattan next week. Some of the subpoenas were personally delivered to reporters' homes by federal agents, according to CNN.

The subpoenas suggest the administration is trying to determine who leaked information to the Times before the newspaper reported that Trump left Turkey on the older Air Force One over security concerns raised by the Secret Service.

The New York Times said it will fight the court order. David McCraw, the newsroom's top attorney, said the appearance of federal law enforcement agents at reporters' homes should concern anyone who believes in constitutional press protections, and described the move as an attempt to intimidate journalists.

The Justice Department has said in similar cases that such investigations are focused on leaks of classified information rather than on targeting journalists directly. Press-freedom groups and the Times have rejected that framing, arguing that compelling reporters to testify before a grand jury could intimidate sources and punish national-security reporting.

The case places national-security secrecy and press freedom in direct conflict. The administration argues that classified leaks can expose sensitive information. News organizations argue that reporting on presidential security, government gifts and aircraft safety is a matter of public interest, especially when the government seeks testimony from journalists rather than only pursuing officials suspected of leaking.

The immediate questions are whether the subpoenas are challenged in court, whether the grand jury seeks testimony about confidential sources, and whether Congress questions Justice Department leaders about the decision. For now, the subpoenas mark a new escalation in the administration's confrontation with national-security reporting.

Fact-check date: 11 July 2026
Article type: News
Sources: CNN, CBS News, NBC News, The New York Times