Justice Department subpoenas four New York Times reporters over Air Force One security story
Four New York Times journalists were subpoenaed to testify before a Manhattan grand jury after reporting on security concerns about a Qatari-gifted aircraft used as the new Air Force One.
Four journalists from The New York Times have been issued subpoenas to appear before a federal grand jury in Manhattan next week, the newspaper reported on Friday. The reporters — Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt — had covered a story about security worries surrounding a Qatari-donated jet that is slated to replace the older Air Force One. Federal agents reportedly delivered some of the subpoenas to the reporters' residences.
The subpoenas arrived after the newspaper disclosed that President Donald Trump traveled to Turkey on the older Air Force One, citing Secret Service concerns about the newer, retrofitted aircraft. A senior FBI official had previously asked the Times not to publish the Wednesday story, citing national-security reasons, though the official did not specify the issue.
The Times said the subpoening documents do not provide details, stating the journalists are being asked to testify "in regard to an alleged violation of criminal law."
"This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs," said Times attorney David McCraw in a statement.
CNN has contacted the White House, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan and The New York Times for comment.