Justice Department Subpoenas Phone Records of Three New York Times Journalists and Relatives in Air Force One Leak Probe

The Justice Department served subpoenas at the homes of three New York Times journalists seeking their phone records and those of some relatives to identify confidential sources for reporting on the president's new Air Force One jet. Two subpoenas requested records beginning January 1, 2026, and additional ones covered one reporter's mother, a mental health professional, and the spouses of two journalists, one of whom serves as general counsel at a law firm.

A motion describing the subpoenas was unsealed July 20.

The Times filed a letter-motion over the weekend asking a judge to quash them, noting that the requested time frame exceeded the dates of the July articles and arguing the requests amounted to an effort to forage for broader source information. The articles examined security concerns with a new jet received as a gift from Qatar.

The administration spent $400 million to retrofit and upgrade the aircraft before it entered service.

President Trump used an older model to depart a NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month. The Times reported, citing anonymous sources, that the Secret Service had urged the switch because the newer plane lacked certain advanced security features, including antimissile capabilities. Trump denied the security concerns on social media.

The actions follow an FBI search earlier this year of a Washington Post reporter's home and the seizure of her electronic devices.