US Justice Department subpoenas New York Times reporters over Trump plane security stories
Several reporters from the New York Times have been summoned to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan following articles about security concerns surrounding Donald Trump's new presidential aircraft.
US Justice Department subpoenas New York Times reporters over Trump plane security stories
Several journalists from the New York Times have received subpoenas from the United States Justice Department, according to the newspaper itself. The reporters are expected to appear before a federal grand jury in Manhattan in the coming week. The summons cite an unspecified alleged violation of federal criminal law.
The legal action follows articles published by the newspaper this week. Those reports, based on anonymous sources, claimed that Trump had flown from a NATO summit in Turkey to a British air force base using the older Air Force One due to security concerns. He allegedly switched to the new aircraft, a gift from Qatar, only at Mildenhall. A subsequent story stated that the new jet lacked certain security and defense systems present in the existing presidential plane.
The New York Times condemned the subpoenas as an intimidation tactic. "The appearance of federal agents at the front door of news reporters should shake the conscience of every American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects," said David McCraw, the newspaper's attorney.
Trump and his administration have denied that security concerns motivated the aircraft change. Spokesperson Steven Cheung stated that "many enemies of America" target the president and that the government uses "every available means — including diversionary maneuvers and deception — to counter these threats." Trump himself had earlier fueled speculation about the new jet's safety, telling reporters in Ankara that he was "number one on Iran's death list." He later said the stopover was intended to show military personnel the new plane.
The Justice Department declined to confirm or deny the subpoenas when approached by media outlets. It did state, however, that the government is not targeting reporters but is concerned about the disclosure of classified information.
This development marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration's confrontations with the press. Earlier this year, the Justice Department attempted to compel testimony from journalists at the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post in leak investigations. Those subpoenas were withdrawn after the media organizations mounted legal challenges.
Source: DIE ZEIT
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