Several New York Times journalists have been ordered to testify under oath by the US Department of Justice after reporting on security concerns surrounding the new Air Force One gifted by Qatar.
Key facts
- Several New York Times journalists have been subpoenaed by the US Department of Justice.
- The subpoenas follow reporting on security concerns involving the new Air Force One.
- The aircraft was gifted by Qatar.
- The reporting came after Donald Trump's flight on the jet.
- The journalists have been summoned to testify under oath.
Several New York Times journalists have been summoned to testify under oath by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) after they reported on security concerns involving the new Air Force One gifted by Qatar, according to Sky News.
The subpoenas follow the newspaper’s reporting on the aircraft, which was provided to the United States by Qatar and has since been used by President Donald Trump.
According to Sky News, the reporting that prompted the DOJ action centred on security concerns tied to the jet. The subpoenas require the journalists involved to give sworn testimony.
The move places the DOJ in direct conflict with journalists over the sourcing of their reporting, a scenario that typically raises questions about press freedom and the protection of confidential sources.
Sky News reported that the subpoenas were issued after Trump had flown on the Qatari-gifted aircraft, though the sources provided do not detail the specific security concerns raised in the original reporting.
The available reporting does not specify how many journalists were subpoenaed, when they are due to testify, or what response the New York Times or the individual reporters have given.
Why it matters
Subpoenas directing journalists to testify under oath over their reporting touch on long-standing tensions between government investigations and press freedom in the United States. The case involves a high-profile subject, a foreign-gifted presidential aircraft, and raises questions about how far authorities can go in pursuing the sources behind national security reporting.
Frequently asked questions
Why were the New York Times journalists subpoenaed?
According to Sky News, they were summoned to testify under oath by the US Department of Justice after reporting on security concerns involving the new Air Force One gifted by Qatar.
Who gave the United States the new Air Force One?
The aircraft was gifted by Qatar, according to the reporting.
What prompted the Department of Justice action?
The subpoenas followed the New York Times reporting on security concerns about the jet, which came after Donald Trump had flown on it, as reported by Sky News.