New York Times files motion to quash subpoenas following Air Force One coverage

Media New York Times files motion to quash subpoenas following Air Force One coverage Comments: by Tara Suter - 07/15/26 10:29 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Tara Suter - 07/15/26 10:29 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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The New York Times has filed a motion pushing back against subpoenas issued to its reporters from the Trump administration following a report on the new Air Force One, the paper reported Wednesday.

According to the Times, the outlet’s top newsroom lawyer, David McCraw, said in a Wednesday statement that the subpoenas were “abusive and improper,” claiming they were “brought in bad faith to punish The Times for its coverage.”

McCraw also said that the motion had been filed under seal, “pursuant to court order,” the Times reported.

Last week, the Trump administration hit four Times journalists with subpoenas in the wake of the newspaper publishing a story outlining risks involving President Trump’s Air Force One gifted from Qatar that recently entered service.

The newspaper had reported that the jet did not have some of the advanced security measures of the older aircraft used for the president’s transportation.

Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt were among the reporters hit with the subpoenas. Earlier in the week, the reporters also wrote that a security precaution made the president leave a NATO summit in Turkey on the old Air Force One.

The Times journalists were called to testify this week before a federal grand jury in New York City “in regard to an alleged violation of federal criminal law.”

Department of Justice spokesperson Emily Covington noted a prior statement about media having an “important role” for the U.S., “but D.O.J. also plays an important role to make sure that the people entrusted with our nation’s secrets do what they’re supposed to do with that information,” according to the Times.

The Hill has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.

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