U.S. Justice Department subpoenas NYT freelancer Matthew Cole over North Korea story

Matthew Cole Justice Department subpoena North Korea mission New York Times

The U.S. Justice Department, through prosecutors in Virginia, issued a grand‑jury subpoena to freelance New York Times journalist Matthew Cole in February. The subpoena seeks more than two years of Cole’s notes and his testimony to identify the sources behind a 2025 Times story that detailed a failed 2019 U.S. Navy SEAL mission in North Korea, in which SEALs allegedly killed several unarmed North Koreans while trying to plant a listening device.

FBI agents delivered the subpoena at Cole’s New York residence; when he was not home it was later served on his lawyer. The New York Times is covering Cole’s legal costs and its spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander called the action “part of the government’s escalating attacks on journalists,” describing it as a “brazen and illegal attack.” Cole’s attorney David A. O’Neil said Cole will defend press freedom and his sources. The subpoena is part of a broader Trump‑administration campaign to investigate leaks of national‑defense information, a practice that was rare before the president’s second term.

Entities

Charlie Stadtlander · David A. O'Neil · Federal Bureau of Investigation · Matthew Cole · North Korea · President Donald Trump · The New York Times · U.S. Department of Justice · U.S. Justice Department

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 13 SOURCES] The subpoena reflects an administration campaign to investigate leaks of government secrets, a practice rare before President Trump's second term. dnyuz.com · antiguatribune.com · www.europesays.com · wdez.com · dominicanrepublicpost.com · +8 more
[● 13 SOURCES] The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post have faced similar subpoenas. dnyuz.com · antiguatribune.com · www.europesays.com · wdez.com · dominicanrepublicpost.com · +8 more
[● 21 SOURCES] The U.S. Justice Department subpoenaed freelance journalist Matthew Cole. ca.news.yahoo.com · dnyuz.com · freerepublic.com · antiguatribune.com · www.europesays.com · +16 more
[● 22 SOURCES] FBI agents delivered the subpoena to Matthew Cole’s New York residence in February. dnyuz.com · freerepublic.com · antiguatribune.com · www.europesays.com · wdez.com · +17 more
[● 21 SOURCES] The New York Times is providing legal defense and paying for Matthew Cole’s representation. ca.news.yahoo.com · antiguatribune.com · www.europesays.com · wdez.com · dominicanrepublicpost.com · +16 more
[● 14 SOURCES] The subpoena relates to a 2025 New York Times story about a failed 2019 Navy SEAL mission in North Korea that killed unarmed North Koreans. ca.news.yahoo.com · antiguatribune.com · www.europesays.com · wdez.com · dominicanrepublicpost.com · +9 more
[● 21 SOURCES] The Justice Department said it would use all legal tools to uncover unlawful disclosures of national‑defense information. dnyuz.com · antiguatribune.com · www.europesays.com · wdez.com · dominicanrepublicpost.com · +16 more
[● 21 SOURCES] The subpoena seeks more than two years of Matthew Cole’s notes and testimony about his sources. ca.news.yahoo.com · dnyuz.com · freerepublic.com · antiguatribune.com · www.europesays.com · +16 more
[● 3 SOURCES] The New York Times described the subpoena as part of the administration’s escalating attacks on journalists. antiguatribune.com · www.aljazeera.com · www.ntd.com
[● 19 SOURCES] The 2025 Times story reported that Navy SEALs killed several unarmed North Koreans while attempting to plant a listening device near the North Korean coast. antiguatribune.com · www.europesays.com · thesheffieldpress.com · trinidadtribune.com · wdez.com · +14 more
[● 19 SOURCES] The subpoena aims to identify sources for a 2025 New York Times story about a failed 2019 U.S. Navy SEAL mission in North Korea. antiguatribune.com · www.europesays.com · thesheffieldpress.com · trinidadtribune.com · wdez.com · +14 more