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[POLITICS] · United States · 83 sources

US Justice Department withdraws subpoenas against New York Times reporters

The U.S. Justice Department announced that it is withdrawing the grand‑jury subpoenas and phone‑record demands it had issued to three New York Times journalists. The subpoenas were originally filed by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton after the newspaper reported that the Qatar‑gifted Air Force One used by President Donald Trump lacked key defensive systems.

During a hearing in Manhattan, District Judge Arun Subramanian warned the government that “subpoenas are not the first thing you do; they are the last thing you do,” and questioned why the department had not pursued narrower investigative steps first. Facing the judge’s criticism, the DOJ said it would “unilaterally withdraw” the subpoenas, ending a dispute the Times described as an attempt to intimidate the press. The Times hailed the withdrawal as a reaffirmation of press‑freedom protections under the First Amendment. The investigation into the leak of classified information about the aircraft continues, but the subpoenas are now null and void.

Sources

18 days ago
18 days ago