Air Force One 'switch' report lands NYT reporters in Trump's crosshairs, served subpoenas
The Trump administration has issued subpoenas to New York Times reporters regarding their coverage of security concerns surrounding the new Air Force One. The newspaper claims the move threatens press freedom, while the administration maintains the plane swap was for logistical reasons.
Why it matters
Raises significant questions about the relationship between the executive branch and the press, and the limits of investigative journalism.
Several New York Times reporters were served subpoenas on Friday by the Trump administration over the newspaper's reporting on security concerns involving the new Air Force One.According to The New York Times, federal agents delivered some of the subpoenas to the reporters at their homes. The subpoenas seek to compel the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday."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," the newspaper's lawyer, David McCraw, said in a statement on Friday.The development comes after Trump flew the new Air Force One to a NATO summit in Turkey. However, he departed on Wednesday aboard one of the older Air Force One jets for a trip to Mildenhall, a Royal Air Force base in Suffolk, England.
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