The landscape of independent journalism in the United States just faced a massive shift as federal authorities moved against reporters at The New York Times. The U.S. Department of Justice has officially ordered several journalists to appear before a federal grand jury following their recent reporting on security concerns regarding a new, Qatari-donated Air Force One.
Reuters detailed that the subpoenas were issued on Friday. The journalists are expected to testify on Wednesday regarding what the government calls an alleged violation of federal criminal law. In some instances, federal agents showed up at reporters’ homes to deliver the subpoenas. The outlet noted that The New York Times called it an extraordinary escalation in President Trump’s efforts to threaten and intimidate independent news organizations.
