The Justice Department has withdrawn subpoenas it issued to three New York Times journalists as part of an investigation into leaked information. The subpoenas had sought grand jury testimony and phone records from reporters Tyler Pager, Julian Barnes, Eric Schmitt, and Eric Lipton.
These journalists were involved in a report published earlier this month that revealed President Donald Trump flew home from a NATO summit in Turkey on his older Air Force One, rather than a new Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar. The report, citing anonymous sources, suggested the change was due to security concerns amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Trump, however, had denied any security issues, stating on Truth Social that the stop was made so service members could view the new aircraft.
The leak probe was initiated by the Department of Justice to identify the sources who provided sensitive information to The New York Times. The department had previously defended the subpoenas, emphasizing the importance of investigating leaks of national security information while clarifying that the journalists themselves were not the targets of the probe.
"Today’s proceeding was an important affirmation of our country’s commitment to a free press," said David McCraw, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for The New York Times, in a statement. "We are pleased that the government finally conceded that the subpoenas violated the law, but they should never have been issued in the first place. The Times and our journalists will continue to report and seek the truth without fear or favor. We will not be deterred in the face of tactics like these."
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The subpoenas had drawn criticism from those who argued they infringed upon First Amendment rights.