DOJ withdraws subpoenas to NY Times reporters in Trump plane probe

Key Points:

• The Department of Justice is withdrawing subpoenas issued to New York Times reporters involved in an article about President Trump's new Air Force One jet, following a federal judge's warning to quash them if not withdrawn.
• The subpoenas, issued on July 10 by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, sought reporters' testimony and phone records, including those of a reporter's mother, as part of a probe into the Times' reporting on security concerns about the new Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8.
• Judge Arun Subramanian questioned the legality of the subpoenas and indicated he would quash them at The Times' request, prompting the DOJ to withdraw the subpoenas during a hearing in Manhattan.
• The Times and its lawyer, David McCraw, condemned the subpoenas as an intimidation tactic against journalists and a threat to press freedom, emphasizing the importance of reporting on government operations and taxpayer funds.
• Jay Clayton, nominated as director of national intelligence, defended the DOJ's procedures during his Senate confirmation hearing, asserting confidence in protections for the First Amendment and freedom of the press.