Justice Department pulls subpoenas from NYT reporters

The Justice Department withdrew subpoenas on Thursday, July 23, 2026, that would have compelled three New York Times reporters to testify before a grand jury and provide phone records as part of an investigation into leaks about President Donald Trump's new Air Force One jet. The decision came during a hearing in U.S. District Court in Manhattan after the presiding judge sharply criticized the government's legal approach.

Judge Arun Subramanian presided over the hearing, questioning federal prosecutors for nearly an hour about their handling of the subpoenas, which were issued on July 11. The judge stated he would have otherwise granted the newspaper's motion to quash the subpoenas, emphasizing that legal precedents and Justice Department regulations require that such demands on journalists be a measure of last resort. "Subpoenas are the last step, not the first step, but the last step," Judge Subramanian said, adding that the government's actions had turned the law and regulations "on its head." He noted that given the protections afforded to journalists, the government was obligated to exhaust all other avenues for information first.

Sean Buckley, a senior official in the U.S....