NEW YORK (dpa-AFX) - Following reports about alleged security concerns regarding Donald Trump's new presidential aircraft, several 'New York Times' journalists have been subpoenaed by the federal prosecutor's office in Manhattan, according to the newspaper. The reporters are said to testify before a grand jury next week. The subpoenas cite only an unspecified alleged violation of federal criminal law as justification.
The federal prosecutor's office in Manhattan was not immediately available for confirmation. The US Department of Justice has been asked for comment. According to the 'New York Times', the reporters received the subpoenas on Friday. Some were personally delivered to their residences by federal agents.
The newspaper described the action as an attempt to intimidate independent media. 'The appearance of federal agents at the doorstep of news reporters should shake the conscience of every American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects,' said the newspaper's attorney, David McCraw, in the report.
Trump intensifies action against media
The four journalists had reported this week, citing anonymous sources, that on the advice of the Secret Service, Trump had completed the flight from the NATO summit in Turkey to the British airbase Mildenhall using the old Air Force One for security reasons. There he switched to the new aircraft gifted by Qatar. Earlier, the President himself had fueled speculation about the safety of the new jumbo jet in Ankara. When asked why he was not leaving with the new plane, he replied that he was 'number one on Iran's hit list'.
In another report, the newspaper wrote that the new aircraft does not yet have all the security and defense systems of the previous presidential plane. However, the government and Trump himself denied that security concerns were the reason for the aircraft change. Trump repeatedly stated that the stopover was intended to show the new plane to military personnel.
Trump has intensified action against media since the start of his second term. Earlier this year, the Justice Department attempted to force testimony from journalists at the 'Wall Street Journal' and 'Washington Post' in investigations into disclosures. After legal resistance from the media outlets, those subpoenas were later withdrawn./hae/DP/zb
