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Published Jul 11, 2026Updated Jul 13 Major4
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Trump administration subpoenas NY Times reporters over Air Force One security story
The Trump administration subpoenaed multiple New York Times journalists on Friday after they reported security concerns with Qatar's gift of a new Air Force One. The paper alleged the Qatari jet lacked certain advanced security features, prompting a mid-trip aircraft switch during Trump's return from Europe.
Quick Facts
- Subpoenas issued to NY Times reporters
- Federal agents delivered subpoenas to reporters' homes
- NY Times reported security concerns with new Air Force One
- Trump switched aircraft mid-trip from new jet to older model
- Secret Service allegedly requested aircraft switch
The Trump administration issued subpoenas on Friday to multiple New York Times journalists who reported on security concerns with the new Air Force One, a jet gifted to President Donald Trump by Qatar. Federal agents delivered subpoenas to the reporters' homes, requiring them to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday. The named reporters include Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt.
The Times reported this week that Trump switched from the new aircraft to an older Air Force One model during a trip to Mildenhall, a Royal Air Force base in Suffolk, England, after departing a NATO summit in Turkey. According to the paper's sources, the Secret Service requested the switch because the new jet lacked certain advanced security features of the older aircraft, including antimissile capabilities. The $400 million retrofit jet entered service last week. The abrupt swap occurred as a ceasefire with Iran collapsed, with the U.S. launching airstrikes on Iran and Tehran attacking three Gulf Arab states.
A senior FBI official previously requested the New York Times not publish the initial story, citing national security concerns but providing no specific details. Trump denied any security problems, stating on social media that the Mildenhall stop was at the base's request to display the new aircraft to service members. The White House later issued a statement calling the new Air Force One "a state-of-the-art aircraft" fitted with "high-level security protocols."
The subpoenas represent an escalation in Trump's conflict with major news organizations. Earlier this year, the Justice Department issued subpoenas to reporters at The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal but later withdrew them. New York Times lawyer David McCraw said in a statement: "The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects."
Why This Matters
This escalates tensions between the Trump administration and major media outlets over national security reporting. The subpoenas target specific journalists investigating alleged security gaps in a $400 million aircraft retrofit—raising constitutional questions about press freedom and government pressure on news organizations. The incident also reveals potential rifts between the White House and the Secret Service over aircraft safety protocols during active geopolitical crises.