NY Times challenges US Justice Department subpoenas over Air Force One leak report
The New York Times has filed a motion to quash subpoenas issued by the US Justice Department to three of its journalists, escalating a legal battle between press freedom and the government's effort to identify sources of leaked classified information. The motion, filed under seal in the Southern District of New York, argues that the subpoenas are unconstitutional and brought in bad faith.
The subpoenas, delivered to reporters at their homes last Friday, relate to the newspaper's coverage of security concerns involving a new Air Force One jet. The aircraft, a gift from Qatar, was retrofitted and upgraded at a cost of $400 million under the Trump administration. The Times reported, citing anonymous sources, that the newer plane lacked some advanced security features of older models, including antimissile capabilities, leading the Secret Service to advise against its use for President Donald Trump's departure from a NATO summit in Turkey. Trump denied the security concerns on social media.
The Justice Department stated that reporters are not targets but that it is investigating the leak of classified information. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, at his Senate confirmation hearing, said the department wants to identify who provided classified national security information to the journalists. The department has previously revised internal policies on handling media leaks. In April 2025, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi rescinded a policy from the previous administration that protected journalists from having their phone records secretly seized during leak investigations.
David McCraw, senior vice president and deputy general counsel for The Times, said the subpoenas violate constitutional rights and that the newspaper is going to court to defend its journalists' ability to report freely. Press freedom advocates have condemned the subpoenas as an effort to intimidate news organisations. The case highlights the tension between the government's interest in protecting classified information and the press's role in informing the public.
