The Trump administration issued subpoenas to several New York Times journalists following the newspaper’s recent coverage of alleged security vulnerabilities on the new Air Force One.
Subpoenas and Testimony
According to the publication, the subpoenas demand that the reporters testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan. Federal agents delivered some of these legal orders directly to the reporters’ homes.
The newspaper’s legal counsel criticized the government’s actions, stating that the appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects.
The escalating legal dispute stems from the President’s recent travel logistics during a high-stakes international trip. The President initially flew the new Air Force One model to a NATO summit in Turkey, but then switched to an older-model Air Force One jet for a subsequent leg of the trip to Royal Air Force base Mildenhall in Suffolk, England.
A follow-up report published by the paper alleged that the newer Boeing 747-8 aircraft lacked certain advanced security features present on the older model, specifically pointing to antimissile capabilities.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
