New York Times files motion to quash subpoenas served on journalists over Air Force One coverage

By — Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press By — Eric Tucker, Associated Press Eric Tucker, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/new-york-times-files-motion-to-quash-subpoenas-served-on-journalists-over-air-force-one-coverage Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter New York Times files motion to quash subpoenas served on journalists over Air Force One coverage Politics Jul 16, 2026 11:06 AM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The New York Times on Wednesday filed a motion to quash subpoenas that the Justice Department served on journalists who reported on security concerns involving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One, teeing up a significant court fight pitting press freedom against the the government's ability to force reporters to identify sources. David McCraw, the newspaper's senior vice president and deputy general counsel, accused the government of bringing the subpoenas in "bad faith to punish The Times for its coverage." Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. "They violate the constitutional rights of The Times and its journalists," McCraw said in a statement. "We are going to court to defend our journalists' rights to report freely on the administration and to provide the public with stories that matter." The filing was made under seal in the Southern District of New York, where the journalists were summoned in subpoenas delivered last Friday to testify before a federal grand jury. The Times had said it expected five journalists to be subpoenaed; three were ultimately served. WATCH: Subpoenas over New York Times report on Air Force One raise press freedom concerns Watch the PBS News Hour segment in the player above. The subpoenas, delivered to reporters at their homes, marked a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration's crackdown on media leaks that free press advocates swiftly condemned as a government effort to intimidate news organizations. It followed an FBI search earlier this year of a Washington Post reporter's home and the seizure of her electronic devices. The new jet in question, a present from Qatar that Trump's administration spent $400 million to retrofit and upgrade, recently entered service. But the Republican president used an older model Air Force One jet to leave a NATO summit in Turkey last week. WATCH: Trump gets questions about new Air Force One and Iran-related security concerns The Times, citing anonymous sources, reported that the switch had come at the urging of the Secret Service and that the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older aircraft, including antimissile capabilities. On social media, Trump denied security concerns. The Justice Department has justified the subpoenas by saying that "to be clear, reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are." "