The Justice Department, under US President Donald Trump, has confirmed it will withdraw subpoenas issued to reporters from The New York Times (NYT). Prosecutors announced the decision during a hearing on Thursday, marking a conclusion to the administration's efforts to compel journalists to disclose their sources.
The White House had previously targeted NYT journalists for their coverage of security concerns surrounding a Qatari-donated Air Force One plane. The subpoenas specifically demanded that the reporters reveal sources who contributed to a report detailing alleged security vulnerabilities, including the absence of certain countermeasures like anti-missile defenses, on the presidential aircraft.
The Trump administration had asserted that the NYT's reporting posed a “substantial national security concern.” However, lawyers representing the newspaper vehemently challenged the administration's demands for journalists' phone records and grand jury testimony, characterizing them as an attempt at press intimidation. NYT lawyers stated that these actions “violate the most basic First Amendment protections for newsgathering activity.”
Federal prosecutors agreed before District Judge Arun Subramanian to “unilaterally withdraw the subpoenas at this time,” according to the NYT. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) lauded the outcome, calling it a victory not only for the NYT but also for “every journalist who relies on confidential sources to report in the public interest.” RSF emphasized that “The court has reaffirmed that the government cannot use its legal powers to intimidate reporters or erode the independence of the press.”
The controversial aircraft, a luxury plane, was a gift from Qatar's royal family to Trump last year. The NYT's stories were prompted by an incident earlier this month when President Trump, after flying to Turkey on the new Air Force One, departed the country on one of the older Air Force One jets, which took him to a Royal Air Force base in England. From there, he reportedly switched back to the new Air Force One for his flight returning to the US.
The New York Times reports indicated that the Secret Service had urged this aircraft switch in Turkey due to security concerns linked to the collapse of a shaky ceasefire with neighboring Iran. The reports further detailed that the new Air Force One lacked some of the sophisticated security features present in older aircraft, such as antimissile defense systems. President Trump, however, has denied that security concerns played any role in his use of two different planes during the trip.
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