Justice Department Rightly Subpoenas New York Times Reporters Over Dubious Air Force One Story
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In a necessary move to protect national security, the Justice Department has issued grand jury subpoenas to four New York Times journalists who published a questionable story about a Qatar-donated Air Force One. Critics from the left cry foul, but the rule of law and government integrity must come first.
Four New York Times reporters were served with subpoenas on Friday evening, requiring them to appear before a Manhattan federal grand jury next week. The subpoenas pertain to a story published Wednesday that irresponsibly alleged the Secret Service advised President Trump to use an older Air Force One aircraft instead of a newer Boeing 747 donated by Qatar, supposedly due to the newer plane’s lack of defensive systems. The article, by Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt, relied on anonymous sources, raising questions about its credibility and the motives behind its publication.
The subpoenas were issued by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton of the Southern District of New York, a nominee for national intelligence director under President Trump. Previously, a senior FBI official had reasonably requested that the Times delay the story and reveal its sources to prevent potential harm to national security, but the Times refused to cooperate.
David McCraw, a Times executive, predictably decried the move as an attack on press freedom, while Bruce D. Brown of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press claimed the subpoenas break with Justice Department tradition. However, when national security is at stake, the government has a duty to act decisively.
This action follows other responsible investigations involving media outlets, such as the FBI’s search of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson’s devices earlier this year. The Times is also embroiled in legal disputes with the Department of Defense and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, demonstrating the need for accountability in the media.