US government cancels subpoena against three New York Times reporters

The United States government has withdrawn subpoenas that sought to compel three New York Times reporters to testify about their sources for a story concerning an Air Force One jet gifted to President Trump by Qatar. The withdrawal occurred after a judge criticized the government's legal approach, stating that subpoenas should be a last resort. This action marks another instance of the government facing judicial setbacks in its attempts to pressure critical media outlets. The government had aimed to keep these proceedings confidential while seeking to identify sources for a story about Trump taking an older Air Force One jet instead of the one gifted by Qatar. Similar subpoenas against reporters from the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal were also recently withdrawn by the government.

The government has withdrawn subpoenas that would have required three New York Times reporters to testify about their sources for articles concerning President Donald Trump's Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet. This action in U.S. District Court followed criticism from a federal judge, Arun Subramanian, who deemed the government's legal work "sloppy" and stated that subpoenas to journalists should be a last resort, not a first step, to protect First Amendment rights. The judge indicated he would have rejected the subpoenas had the government not withdrawn them. The government's retreat comes amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to pursue news organizations and crack down on leaks. The New York Times had challenged the subpoenas, arguing the government acted in bad faith and ignored its own protocols.

US prosecutors have announced they will withdraw subpoenas issued to New York Times journalists. These subpoenas, issued on July 10 by Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton, were related to reporting on security concerns regarding President Trump flying on a Qatari-donated Air Force One. The prosecutor made this announcement during a court hearing on Thursday. This action is part of a broader pattern where the Trump administration has sought to compel journalists to reveal their sources. A US District Judge had previously paused the enforcement of these subpoenas pending the hearing.