Donald Trump sues New York Times journalists for reporting on alleged failures of his new Air Force One plane

The subpoenas, which seek to compel journalists to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday, represent an extraordinary escalation in President Trump’s efforts to threaten and intimidate independent news organizations.

In some cases, the subpoenas were delivered by federal agents who showed up at the journalists’ homes. The Times denounced the government’s actions.

“The presence of federal law enforcement agents at journalists’ doors should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the freedom of the press it protects,” said David McCraw, the chief editorial staff attorney. The New York Timesin a statement Friday night.

“Our journalists report the facts and defend the American public’s right to know how their government works and how their taxes are used,” McCraw wrote. “This brazen act should be considered nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country, intimidating journalists so that they cannot practice their profession,” he added.

The subpoenas contain few details and only ask that journalists testify “in connection with an alleged violation of federal criminal law.” They were issued by Jay Clayton, federal prosecutor in Manhattan. Clayton, who heads one of the nation’s largest law enforcement offices, was recently nominated by Trump to be director of national intelligence.

Representatives of the White House and the Manhattan U.S. attorney did not respond to questions Friday night.

Among the Times journalists who received subpoenas were Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt, who reported Wednesday that Trump had left Türkiye on the old Air Force One as a security measure, at the request of the Secret Service.

On Thursday, the Times reported that the new Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar, lacked some of the previous plane’s advanced safety features, including anti-missile capabilities. Both articles cited sources who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security issues.

Before publication of Wednesday’s story, a senior FBI official contacted a reporter and a senior editor at The Times to request that publication be withheld, saying it was a matter of national security, according to a person familiar with the conversation.

The FBI official declined to explain the reason for the security issue. Likewise, he requested the Times to reveal his sources for the article; the newspaper refused to do so. A Times spokesman, Charlie Stadtlander, confirmed the story.

Trump has always been a harsh critic of the media. But in his second term, has vehemently used the immense power of the federal government to attack the press.

Earlier this year, the Justice Department attempted to compel journalists from The Wall Street Journal y The Washington Post. The Justice Department withdrew the subpoenas after both media outlets made allegations in confidential documents.

Both Democratic and Republican administrations have launched investigations into leaks of classified information. However, subpoenas directed at journalists are not common, and First Amendment advocates say they can hinder journalism.

In January, FBI agents took the unusual step of searching the home of Washington Post journalist Hannah Natanson as part of an investigation into a government contractor’s handling of classified material. After executing a search warrant, officers confiscated phones, laptops and a smartwatch. Natanson had spent months talking to government employees while reporting on the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the federal workforce.

The Times is a party to several lawsuits involving Trump and his administration.

The president sued the New York newspaper last year, accusing him of defamation, of damaging his reputation and trying to undermine his candidacy for 2024.

In December, the Times sued the Defense Department after it imposed restrictions on journalists covering military topics. The company sued again after the agency reduced journalists’ physical access to the Pentagon.

In May, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued The New York Times, accusing it of employment discrimination. On Friday, The Times filed a counterclaimalleging that the subpoena was retaliation for their coverage of the Trump presidency and a violation of their First Amendment rights.