The Trump administration subpoenaed four New York Times reporters to testify before a grand jury regarding their reporting on security flaws in the new Qatari-donated Air Force One. The subpoenas follow a story that President Trump switched to an older jet flying from Turkey on Secret Service advice due to the new plane's deficiencies, including a lack of antimissile systems. The move has been widely condemned as an attack on press freedom.
Justice Department subpoenas
- ▪The subpoenas were issued by Jay Clayton, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York
- ▪The subpoenas compel the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday, July 15, 2026
- ▪The Trump administration subpoenaed four New York Times reporters on Friday, July 10, 2026
- ▪The subpoenaed reporters are Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt
Air Force One security concerns
- ▪The Air Force has reportedly been working to upgrade the new jet's security since September
- ▪FBI Director Kash Patel was reportedly called to the White House to discuss the agency's investigation into the security disclosures
- ▪The Secret Service advised President Trump to use the older jet for the flight from Turkey
- ▪The decision to switch planes followed reports that Israel had informed Trump of an Iranian plot to assassinate him
- ▪The New York Times reported that President Trump switched to an older Air Force One jet to fly from Turkey due to security precautions
- ▪The new jet lacks some of the older aircraft's advanced security features, including antimissile capabilities
- ▪The subpoenas are related to New York Times reporting on security concerns with a new presidential jet
Qatari-donated aircraft
- ▪President Trump initially claimed he switched planes for "old time's sake" and to let people "tour" the new jet
- ▪The Qatari-gifted jet is valued at $400 million and was described by Trump as "the world’s most luxurious plane."
- ▪The new presidential jet was a gift to the U.S. from the Qatari government
- ▪When asked about the plane swap, Trump referenced an assassination threat from Iran, calling himself "number one on the kill list."
Press freedom implications
- ▪In some instances, federal agents delivered the subpoenas to the journalists' homes
- ▪Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin stated the government's action "should alarm every American."
- ▪The Freedom of the Press Foundation said the subpoenas were meant to protect the government's "reputational security," not national security
- ▪New York Times attorney David McCraw said the subpoenas "should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution."
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