DOJ Drops Subpoenas of New York Times Reporters Under Judge's Pressure

The Justice Department is dropping the subpoenas it filed demanding grand jury testimony and phone records from New York Times journalists after sharp questioning from a federal judge. U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian challenged nearly every facet of the government's approach, citing violations of protections for journalists and slipshod legal work.

Judge Subramanian made it clear that if the subpoenas were not withdrawn, he would quash them. David McGraw, the lead newsroom lawyer for the New York Times, called it "a great day for the First Amendment and a great day for the rule of law."

The subpoenas were filed on July 10, just two days after the Times published an article about concerns that led to the U.S. Secret Service interceding to prevent President Trump from flying home from Turkey on the new Air Force One jet. The Justice Department had insisted it was acting solely in the interest of national security, but the judge questioned this logic, especially given the rapid issuance of the subpoenas after publication.