Trump pushed DOJ to subpoena reporters over alleged Iran war leaks, sources say
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump personally urged the Justice Department to issue subpoenas to reporters covering the Iran war, aiming to identify government leak sources, as revealed by officials familiar with the matter.
- Trump delivered the message via a sticky note with the word "Treason" written on it, placed atop a stack of articles he handed to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, accelerating leak investigations.
- The subpoenas, including those issued to The Wall Street Journal, represent one of the administration's most aggressive efforts to combat leaks involving national security and classified information.
- The investigation targets government employees who leaked information rather than the reporters themselves, but news organizations like Dow Jones have condemned the subpoenas as attacks on constitutionally protected newsgathering.
- The Justice Department's leak probe follows policy changes under former AG Pam Bondi, allowing investigators to seek reporters' records via court orders, reversing previous restrictions put in place after earlier controversies.