Trump administration subpoenas New York Times reporters over Air Force One story

The Trump administration subpoenaed several New York Times reporters Friday after the paper’s reporting on security concerns surrounding the new Qatari-gifted Air Force One. The subpoenas seek to force testimony before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday, and federal agents delivered some of them to reporters at their homes.

The move lands in the middle of a politically charged fight over a Boeing 747-8 that Qatar donated for presidential use. The aircraft entered service last week after a retrofit that cost about $400 million, but questions have followed it from the start about whether it matches the defenses built into the long-serving Air Force One fleet. The current presidential planes are two Boeing 747-200s that have been in service since 1990 and are regarded as among the most secure aircraft in the world.

The reporting that drew the subpoenas centered on security gaps that may matter in wartime. CBS News said the Secret Service urged Trump to use the older Air Force One to leave Ankara, Turkey, as a precaution amid the Iran conflict, then the newer jet was used later for the return trip. CBS News also said the older planes include secure communications and sophisticated military defenses, while it remained unclear whether the Qatari jet had laser-based anti-missile systems and other countermeasures. The New York Times said the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features found on the older aircraft, including antimissile capabilities.

The Justice Department’s move raises press-freedom questions far beyond one story about one plane. Journalists typically rely on the First Amendment, source protections and the long-standing reluctance of prosecutors to compel testimony from reporters who are gathering news about the government, especially on national security. Sending federal agents to reporters’ homes and pressing them toward a grand jury makes that protection look fragile. The New York Times called the subpoenas a “brazen act,” and its lawyer David McCraw said the appearance of federal law enforcement at reporters’ homes “should shock the conscience of Americans who value constitutional press freedom.”

The episode also extends a yearlong dispute over whether a foreign-donated aircraft can safely serve as Air Force One at all. ABC News reported as early as May 2025 that the plan to accept the Qatar jet had drawn counterintelligence concerns from experts and lawmakers, including Sen. Jack Reed, who warned it could create immense risks. In the latest round, the White House has insisted the plane has high-level security protocols, but the New York Times said its reporting could not be independently confirmed, and neither the Justice Department nor the White House immediately responded.