U.S. Justice Department withdraws NY Times subpoenas over Trump plane report
The U.S. Justice Department has withdrawn subpoenas issued to New York Times reporters regarding a story about security vulnerabilities in a plane gifted to President Trump by Qatar. The newspaper had challenged the subpoenas, arguing they violated First Amendment protections and were intended to intimidate journalists.
Why it matters
This case highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the press, specifically regarding the legal boundaries of investigative journalism and national security reporting.
The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday (July 23, 2026) withdrew subpoenas issued to New York Times reporters over a story they wrote about security concerns with a plane donated to U.S. President Donald Trump by Qatar .
The Times said federal prosecutors agreed at a court hearing in New York before District Judge Arun Subramanian to "unilaterally withdraw the subpoenas at this time."
The newspaper had challenged the government requests for phone records of reporters and grand jury testimony as an attempt to "intimidate" the press and filed a motion to have them quashed.
Lawyers for The Times said, "The Government's actions violate the most basic First Amendment protections for newsgathering activity."
"They represent the latest salvo in an escalating series of attacks on journalists to intimidate them from engaging in reporting that the Trump Administration openly detests," they said.
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