The Trump administration has issued subpoenas to several New York Times journalists after their report on security concerns involving the new Air Force One, which President Donald Trump received as a gift from Qatar and which entered service last week.

Federal agents delivered subpoenas to the reporters' homes, demanding their appearance before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday. The subpoenas relate to an investigation into an alleged violation of federal criminal law and potential illegal leaks of national security information.

The New York Times had published stories citing unnamed sources that the Qatari-gifted plane was not secure enough. The Secret Service reportedly urged Trump to switch to an older plane on his way home from a NATO summit in Turkey, a move the Times reported occurred on Wednesday.

The Justice Department stated it values the press's role but must ensure that those entrusted with national secrets do not share classified information. Meanwhile, David McCraw, the Times's top newsroom lawyer, condemned the subpoenas as "nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs."

Mark Schoeff Jr, president of the Times, said the Justice Department's decision to subpoena journalists should alarm every American as it threatens the constitutional right to an independent press. The developments mark a significant escalation in the Republican president's efforts to challenge independent news organizations.

There was no immediate response from the White House or Department of Justice to requests for comment.

Sources