WASHINGTON – The Trump administration issued subpoenas on Friday to several New York Times journalists after its report this week on security concerns involving the new Air Force One, according to the paper.
The new jet, which President Donald Trump received as a gift from Qatar, just entered service last week.
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The subpoenas seek to force the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday, the paper said, adding that federal agents delivered some subpoenas to the reporters at their homes.
The NYT report could not be independently confirmed and there was no immediate response from the White House or the Department of Justice.
“The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects,” said the paper's lawyer David McCraw in a Friday statement.
The developments come after Trump flew the new Air Force One to a NATO summit in Turkey. But he departed Wednesday on one of the older-model Air Force One jets for a trip to Mildenhall, a Royal Air Force base in Suffolk, England. The two jets both flew to Mildenhall. Trump then switched to the newer plane for the flight home to Joint Base Andrews.
The abrupt plane swap came as a shaky cease-fire with Iran had collapsed, with the U.S. launching airstrikes on Iran and Tehran attacking three Gulf Arab states. Iran and Turkey share a border, sparking speculation that the Qatari-gifted jet — which underwent a $400 million retrofit — lacked certain sophisticated security and countermeasure systems.
The paper reported Wednesday the switch had come at the urging of the Secret Service. On Thursday, the paper said the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older aircraft, including antimissile capabilities. Both articles cited anonymous sources.
Trump, at the time, denied any security concerns, posting on social media that the stop in Mildenhall was so that service members there could view the new jet. During the flight, Trump denied to the reporters accompanying him that security concerns involving Iran were a factor in flying two planes home. Asked if he was aware of any credible threats against Air Force One by Iran, Trump brushed off the question.
“I have a threat all the time. I’m No. 1 on their list,” he said
The White House later denied any security shortcomings on the new plane.
“The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal — including distraction and misdirection — to address those threats.”
The Times journalists who received subpoenas included Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt, the paper reported.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department issued subpoenas seeking to compel testimony from reporters at The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. In both cases, the DOJ later withdrew the subpoenas.
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Associated Press reporters Michelle L. Price and Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.