A federal judge pressed the Justice Department on its approach to subpoenas targeting New York Times journalists. The government withdrew its requests for phone records and testimony. The case highlights ongoing tensions over press freedom.
Media organizations tracking legal risks to newsroom operations saw a significant development as the Justice Department withdrew subpoenas aimed at New York Times journalists. The subpoenas had sought phone records and grand jury testimony from reporters who covered the security features of President Trump’s new Qatari-donated Air Force One jet.
The move came after a federal judge in Manhattan, Arun Subramanian, questioned Justice Department lawyers for nearly an hour about their handling of the subpoenas. The New York Times had filed to quash the requests, describing them as an attempt to intimidate its reporters. The judge stated that while the government could withdraw the current subpoenas, it was not barred from issuing new ones in the future if proper procedures were followed.
This episode follows earlier legal actions involving the same reporting, as detailed in coverage of federal subpoenas targeting Times journalists after their Air Force One investigation. For more on the background and implications, see this related report on the Trump administration's approach to Times reporters.
