The New York Times said on Saturday, July 11, that the U.S. Department of Justice had ordered several of its journalists to testify before a federal grand jury after they reported on security concerns involving President Donald Trump's new Qatari-donated Air Force One.
The media organization said subpoenas were issued on Friday, July 10, asking that the journalists appear before a grand jury on July 15 to testify "in regard to an alleged violation of federal criminal law."
The subpoenas were issued by Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, and in some cases delivered to reporters' homes by federal agents, the news outlet reported. It described the move as "an extraordinary escalation in President Trump's efAccessforts to threaten and intimidate independent news organizations."
In a statement to Reuters, a Department of Justice spokesperson did not confirm or deny the subpoenas but said the administration was not targeting reporters but was concerned about people leaking classified information. The White House referred all questions to the Justice Department.
