Those New York Times reporters who received Department of Justice subpoenas are expected to testify today.
Four of the outlet’s journalists received subpoenas to testify before a grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday following a story regarding safety concerns on Air Force One.
In a statement to The Hill, a DOJ spokesperson explained that “reporters are not the targets; those leaking classified information are.” While the department does value the role of the media, the spokesperson went on to say that doesn’t mean they won’t investigate to make sure those with access to “our nation’s secrets do what they’re supposed to do with that information.”
“We recognize there may always be natural tension there, but we are not going to ignore the law and stop investigating the people who work in the administration and think it’s OK to leak classified information impacting national security.”
As BizPac Review previously reported, some of the journalists were served at their homes, and the move was immediately rebuked by The Times.
https://t.co/cJ1FPkg3eT pic.twitter.com/uwXcpJYKbc
— NYTimes Communications (@NYTimesPR) July 11, 2026
“The appearance of Federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects. Our journalists report the facts and advance the American public’s right to know how their government is operating, and their taxpayer dollars are being used. 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 David McCraw, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel.
But despite the pearl-clutching, The Hill notes that the Trump administration is not the first to subpoena journalists:
The Justice Department under former Presidents Obama, George W. Bush, and Nixon subpoenaed journalists. Trump’s DOJ has also subpoenaed reporters from other outlets including The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post in connection with alleged national security leaks.
But many see the latest salvo against the Times as belonging in a category of its own, based both on its timing and the recent history between the administration and the outlet.
Freedom of the Press Foundation Director of Advocacy Seth Stern spoke to the outlet about the decision to call journalists to testify.
“Plenty of outlets report critically about Trump,” he said. “But the Times has unique reach and prestige among audiences that matter to him. That being said, if it had been any other outlet, it’s hard to imagine he would have behaved any differently.”
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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