Government withdraws subpoenas for New York Times reporters in Air Force One leak probe, after judge reprimands DOJ

Key Points:

• The Justice Department withdrew subpoenas seeking grand jury testimony and phone records from New York Times reporters related to an article on Air Force One security systems after a federal judge questioned the legality and conduct of the subpoenas.
• U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian criticized the Justice Department for issuing subpoenas prematurely and raised concerns about alleged misrepresentations in the application for the subpoenas, threatening sanctions for possible perjury.
• The Times argued the subpoenas were abusive, targeting reporters and their family members broadly to identify sources, and highlighted the subpoenas' timing and scope as troubling for press freedom and national security reporting.
• The Justice Department maintained the investigation into leaks of classified information is ongoing but acknowledged mistakes in the subpoena process, including seeking phone records of reporters' relatives, which they called errors.
• The judge emphasized subpoenas should be a last resort and warned the government against future procedural errors, while the Times reaffirmed its commitment to independent journalism despite government pressure.