DOJ Withdraws Subpoenas Against New York Times Reporters

Deputy U.S. Attorney Sean Buckley informed U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian that the government would unilaterally drop the demands. The subpoenas were originally issued after the newspaper reported on security concerns regarding a private jet gifted to the President by the Qatari government. During the hearing, Buckley admitted the department made an error by targeting the phone records of a reporter’s mother and the spouses of two other journalists, characterizing the overreach as a byproduct of rushing the investigation.

Journalist Eric Lipton, one of the targets, praised his legal team for their swift challenge to the government’s tactics, which included FBI agents appearing at reporters' homes. While the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press hailed the decision as a victory against government overreach, other advocates remained cautious. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression warned that the withdrawal does not eliminate the chilling effect on investigative journalism, noting that the threat to the First Amendment persists as long as sources fear government retaliation.