Subpoenas target Times reporters over Air Force One coverage
At least four New York Times journalists were ordered to testify before a Manhattan grand jury, drawing criticism from press freedom groups.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
4 min read
The Trump administration has subpoenaed at least four New York Times journalists over reporting on President Donald Trump’s use of Air Force One, according to the newspaper. Press freedom advocates said the move threatens newsgathering and could deter reporters from using confidential sources.
The Times reported late Friday that some subpoenas were delivered to reporters’ homes by federal agents. The orders require the journalists to appear Wednesday before a grand jury in Manhattan, according to the newspaper.
David McCraw, a lawyer for the Times, said in a statement quoted by the paper that federal agents arriving at reporters’ homes should alarm Americans who value constitutional press protections. The Committee to Protect Journalists called for the subpoenas to be withdrawn.
CPJ chief executive Jodie Ginsberg said the subpoenas marked an “extraordinary escalation” in Trump’s pressure on independent news outlets and warned they could chill journalism across the United States. The subpoenas were approved by Jay Clayton, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, according to Al Jazeera.
Clayton is also in line to become director of national intelligence, a cabinet-level position now held on an interim basis by Bill Pulte, Al Jazeera reported. Senate hearings on Clayton’s confirmation are expected to begin next week, according to the report.
Air Force One reporting under scrutiny
The subpoenas relate to Times coverage of Trump’s return from the 2026 NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye. Trump flew to Europe on a new Air Force One, a jet gifted by Qatar and modified by the US military, but returned on the older presidential aircraft, according to Al Jazeera.
Trump said the newer plane was sent to RAF Mildenhall in England so service members could see it. At a July 8 news conference, he also referred to security risks, telling a New York Post reporter that “the life of a president is very dangerous” and saying he was “number one on the kill list for Iran.”
The Times reported that day that Trump had switched aircraft because of security concerns, citing anonymous sources. The newspaper later reported that the newer Air Force One did not have the same security capabilities as the older plane, citing two former Air Force officials who said there was not enough time to complete needed upgrades before the Ankara trip.
Al Jazeera reported that experts have estimated the updates could cost up to $1bn, while the status of completed modifications remains unclear. The subpoenas targeted Times journalists Eric Schmitt, Tyler Pager, Eric Lipton and Julian E Barnes, according to the newspaper.
Before the subpoenas, a senior FBI official contacted the Times and asked it to delay reporting on Air Force One because of national security concerns, according to the newspaper. The official also sought information about anonymous sources, which the Times declined to provide.
Broader fight with news outlets
The dispute adds to a series of clashes between Trump and major media organizations. Trump sued the Times in September for $15bn, alleging defamation and an effort to damage his 2024 candidacy; after a judge threw out the initial complaint as improper, he refiled it in October, according to Al Jazeera.
The Times has also sued the Department of Defence over media restrictions and filed a countersuit against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after the agency accused the newspaper of discriminating against a white male employee, Al Jazeera reported. The Times has described the EEOC action as an attempt to silence the press.
Trump has also brought $10bn lawsuits against the BBC and The Wall Street Journal over separate coverage, according to Al Jazeera. In January, the FBI raided the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson during a leak investigation involving a government contractor, though at least two judges later barred the administration from using material seized from her, Al Jazeera reported.
The Trump administration has denied trying to weaken press freedom and has cited national security concerns, according to Al Jazeera. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the subpoenas on social media, calling them a misuse of federal law enforcement resources and saying reporters have a right and duty to report the truth.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.