Donald Trump‘s administration subpoenaed four New York Times journalists after they reported on safety concerns involving a jet serving as the new Air Force One.
On Saturday, The New York Times reported that the Justice Department delivered subpoenas to Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt.
The news came just days following the publication of two articles about a Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8.
On Wednesday, they reported that Trump departed Turkey on an old Air Force One for security reasons, under the advice of the Secret Service. A July 9 NYT article then reported that the new Air Force One lacked anti-missile capabilities, among other advanced security features of the old aircraft.
The four journalists were ordered to testify in front of a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday, July 15. However, the Times said it will fight the court order.
“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,” David McCraw, the newspaper’s lead newsroom lawyer, said in a statement.
He continued, “Our journalists report the facts and advance the American public’s right to know how their government is operating and their taxpayer dollars are being used. This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs.”
Previously, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the new $400 million Air Force One would be sent home through Europe to give U.S. service members “a chance to tour the Aircraft,” per Fox News Digital. “Everybody is so excited, and we thought that they should be the first,” he wrote.
Trump also acknowledged that he was “No. 1 on the kill list for Iran,” during a press conference before leaving the NATO summit, per The Hill. “I don’t really care because I’m doing my job,” joking that he would rather be “No. 1 on TikTok.” He added, “But I’m No. 1 on the list for killing.”
