The Justice Department issued and then withdrew subpoenas that sought to compel reporters at The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal to testify before a grand jury, according to people familiar with the matter. The move is seen as a rare and unusual step that critics said was a threat against press freedom.

Background

The Washington Post confirmed that one of its reporters received a subpoena from the Trump administration as part of a broader and aggressive crackdown on media leaks. Journalists at The Wall Street Journal also received grand jury subpoenas, according to people familiar with the matter.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to comment on the subpoenas or the decision to withdraw them, calling it a grand jury matter. He noted that in media leak investigations, reporters are not the targets, but rather the government is seeking to investigate breaches of national security.

Mark Schoeff Jr., a reporter at CQ Roll Call and president of the National Press Club, called the decision to seek grand jury testimony from journalists, one of the most aggressive actions against a free and independent press in recent memory.

Original reporting: WTVQ (Lexington) — read the source article.