The Trump administration has issued subpoenas to several reporters following a report about the president exchanging a new $400 million jet, a gift from Qatar, for security reasons during a visit to Turkey.
The subpoenas, released on Friday, request that the journalists appear before a federal grand jury in Manhattan this coming Wednesday.
The newspaper criticized this action as an attack on press freedom, labeling it something that should “shock the conscience.”
This development came just days after a report raised concerns about whether the new Boeing 747-8, equipped with spacious and luxurious features, had received “adequate safety modifications” amid a busy flight schedule.
Lawmakers expressed worries about whether the modifications would allow for “advanced missile defense systems and other upgrades.”
Additionally, the report indicated that the Secret Service had facilitated the aircraft exchange.
During his trip, President Trump remarked on being number one on Iran’s “kill list.” He noted that this flight was the aircraft’s first overseas journey, which had been converted to allow U.S. military personnel to tour it.
Upon returning, he opted for an older modified Boeing 747 and met the new aircraft at the Royal Air Force Base Mildenhall in England for the journey back home.
While the administration didn’t outright deny the safety claims, they mentioned relying on “diversion and misdirection” as a strategy against threats.
At the same NATO summit, Trump reiterated his claim of being targeted by Iran.
This incident is part of a broader pattern where the administration has seemingly pressured journalists regarding leaks.
Earlier this year, the FBI conducted a search at the home of a Washington Post reporter linked to a leak investigation of a government contractor.
The Justice Department had also subpoenaed reporters from both the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal earlier in the year related to a different inquiry, but ultimately withdrew the requests in June after pushback from news organizations.
