The U.S. Department of Justice has withdrawn subpoenas seeking testimony and phone records from three New York Times reporters in its investigation into leaked information about President Donald Trump’s new Air Force One aircraft, ending a closely watched legal dispute after a federal judge questioned the government’s handling of the case.
The subpoenas were issued as part of an investigation into reports that raised security concerns about a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar and intended for presidential use. Prosecutors had sought to identify the sources behind the newspaper’s reporting, arguing the disclosures involved sensitive national security information.
During a hearing in federal court in New York, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian questioned whether the Justice Department had met the legal standards required before compelling journalists to reveal confidential sources. Government attorneys subsequently agreed to withdraw the subpoenas rather than continue the legal dispute.
The case drew national attention because it highlighted the ongoing tension between leak investigations and longstanding First Amendment protections for the press. While the Justice Department has ended its effort to obtain testimony and records from the reporters, officials have indicated that the broader investigation into the disclosure of information about the aircraft remains active.
