Federal prosecutors quietly tried to drag four national security reporters before a grand jury—and then backed off. The Justice Department this spring subpoenaed Washington Post reporter Ellen Nakashima and three Wall Street Journal journalists, seeking their testimony in leak-related national security investigations, the Post reports. Both news outlets fought the demands under seal in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia; the DOJ rescinded all the subpoenas before any reporter appeared.
- Sources tell the New York Times that the Justice Department wanted information from the Journal reporters on a story about how top administration officials warned President Trump about the risks of going to war with Iran. They also wanted information from Nakashima on a Venezuela story, the sources.
The move marked the first known effort by the Trump administration's Justice Department to force reporters to testify before a grand jury, escalating a broader crackdown on leaks and media coverage it disputes. The Post called Nakashima's subpoena "a clear violation of constitutionally guaranteed press freedom," while Journal publisher Dow Jones previously labeled the Journal subpoenas "an attack on constitutionally protected newsgathering."
Press advocates warned that such testimony could expose confidential sources and open the door to contempt charges if journalists refuse to cooperate. The underlying court fight remains sealed, leaving it unclear why prosecutors reversed course. It's not clear whether the DOJ will take another shot at forcing the reporters to testify, though Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appears willing to do so, the Times reports. "Any witness, whether a reporter or otherwise, who has information about these criminals should not be surprised if they receive a subpoena about the illegal leaking of classified material," he said last month.
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