Four New York Times journalists who reported on security concerns surrounding a Qatari-gifted jet serving as the new Air Force One have been subpoenaed by the Justice Department, the news outlet reported Friday.
The journalists –– Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt –– have been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan next week, according to the Times, which noted federal agents delivered some of the subpoenas to reporters’ homes.
Times attorney David McCraw condemned the move in a statement included in the outlet’s report Friday.
“This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs,” McCraw said.
CNN has reached out to The White House, the US attorney in Manhattan’s office and The New York Times.
