---
title: "Subpoenas for NYT: US DOJ Demands Testimony from Journalists on 'Security Holes' in the New Air Force One"
description: "The US DOJ has summoned four NYT journalists to court over an article about security holes in the new Air Force One. Donald Trump has increased pressure on the press, demanding the protection of secrets and filing multi-billion dollar libel suits. 🇺🇸📰⚖️"
date: 2026-07-11T22:04:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-doj-summons-nyt-journalists-over-new-air-force-one-security-holes
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Subpoenas for NYT: US DOJ Demands Testimony from Journalists on 'Security Holes' in the New Air Force One

![Donald Trump waves from the stairs of the new Air Force One with the Presidential Seal on the fuselage, in the context of a security vulnerability investigation.](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/11/minyust-ssha-vyzval-v-sud-jurnalistov-nyt-o-bezopasnosti-vozduha/minyust-ssha-vyzval-v-sud-jurnalistov-nyt-o-bezopasnosti-vozduha-1.webp)

The US Department of Justice has initiated strict measures against journalists from The New York Times. Four reporters from the publication have been served subpoenas requiring them to appear in court and give testimony. The reason for the inquiry is a publication regarding security issues with the new presidential aircraft, which is set to replace the legendary Boeing 747-400.

### Scandal Surrounding the New Air Force One Aircraft

At the center of the conflict is an article published by NYT this week. Journalists reported that the US Secret Service strongly recommended that President Donald Trump return from Turkey after the NATO summit on the old, proven aircraft. The reason was that the new aircraft — a Boeing 747-8, gifted by the Qatari government — lacks certain critically important defense systems that were present on the previous airliner. Specifically, this refers to the missile defense system.

The decision to reject the new aircraft was made against the backdrop of alarming reports from Israel. There, the American leader was warned of an Iranian plot aimed at his assassination, which made the issue of the aircraft's protection a matter of life and death.

### Who Was Hit?

According to the publication, subpoenas were issued to four journalists of The New York Times: Julian Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt. The document was issued by US Attorney in Manhattan Jay Clayton, whom Donald Trump recently nominated for the position of Director of National Intelligence.

The subpoenas themselves contain a minimum of details. Journalists are only informed that they are required to give testimony "regarding an alleged violation of federal criminal law".

### Official Position of the Authorities

In the President's administration, an attempt was made to discredit the journalists' position. White House spokesperson Steven Cheng criticized the reporters for such articles and categorically denied any concerns regarding the safety of the new aircraft.

For her part, US Department of Justice Press Secretary Emily Covington commented on the situation, stating that "the target is not journalists, but those who disclose classified information". She reminded that the article in NYT was written citing anonymous sources.

"We value and highly appreciate the important role the press plays in this country, but the Department of Justice also plays an important role in ensuring that people entrusted with state secrets use this information properly. We understand that there can always be natural tension here, but we do not intend to ignore the law," Covington emphasized.

### Escalation of Conflict: War with the Media

This event takes place against the backdrop of a general increase in pressure by the Trump administration on the media during his second term. The President personally initiated lawsuits against several newspapers, including The New York Times, for articles he deemed unacceptable.

In September 2025, Trump sued NYT, four of its reporters, and publisher Penguin Random House, accusing them of libel and disinformation. The lawsuit was filed due to an editorial piece before the 2024 election, which claimed that Trump was unfit for office, as well as due to the book "Happy Loser". For this, he demanded $15 billion in compensation.

At the end of 2025, a similar lawsuit was filed against the BBC due to the documentary film "Panorama", where, according to the administration, the version of the President's speech was distorted. Also, a special section was created on the White House website where the administration publicly criticizes the media for "bias" and distortion of facts.