New York Times fights Trump administration subpoenas for reporters' testimony
Source: CNN Business
PUBLISHED Jul 15, 2026, 10:23 PM ET
The New York Times has taken legal action to challenge unusual subpoenas issued to several of its reporters last week.
The subpoenas, which attempt to compel the reporters to testify before a grand jury about their anonymous sources, were abusive and improper and should be quashed by a court, the Times top newsroom lawyer, David McCraw, said in a statement Wednesday night.
As we set out in our motion, these subpoenas are brought in bad faith to punish The Times for its coverage, McCraw said. They violate the constitutional rights of The Times and its journalists. The demands for testimony were delivered just two days after The Times published a story contradicting President Donald Trumps claims about the new Qatari-gifted Air Force One.
News reporting about the new planes security deficiencies angered the president and triggered a sprawling leak investigation. CNN reported new details about the leak hunt earlier on Wednesday. When The Times revealed that several of its reporters had been subpoenaed, the Justice Department responded by saying that reporters are not the targets; those leaking classified information are.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/15/media/new-york-times-trump-subpoenas-reporters