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The case is related to several reports by the New York Times on safety issues with the new presidential plane, a Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar and recently introduced into the US presidential fleet...
The administration of US President Donald Trump has been embroiled in another clash with the American media, after four journalists from the prestigious newspaper "The New York Times" have been called to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan, as part of an investigation into the leak of information related to the new presidential plane, Air Force One.
The US Department of Justice on Friday issued formal subpoenas for journalists Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmidt, asking them to appear before a federal grand jury next week.
According to the New York Times, some of these calls were delivered directly to the journalists' homes by federal agents. The investigation documents do not specify the subject matter of the case in detail, but indicate that the investigation is related to suspicions of possible violations of federal criminal law.
The issue is related to several reports by the New York Times on safety issues with the new presidential plane, a Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar and recently introduced into the US presidential fleet.
The report that sparked the investigation revealed that President Donald Trump traveled on the new Air Force One during the NATO summit in Turkey, but used the old presidential plane for his return.
According to the American newspaper, the change was made after the intervention of the Secret Service, as the new aircraft was not yet equipped with all the advanced defense systems that the traditional presidential aircraft has, including anti-missile capabilities and other critical security elements.
The report was based on anonymous sources, who were alleged to have provided sensitive national security information.
The Trump administration has dismissed claims of security problems with the new presidential plane. A White House official said the new Air Force One is a modern aircraft, equipped with the highest security protocols to protect the president and his staff.
According to the US administration, the president's change in travel mode is part of common practices of "disorientation and deception" against potential threats and is not related to technical deficiencies in the aircraft.
The calls against journalists have sparked a strong reaction from the New York Times, which has called this action a serious attack on press freedom.
The newspaper's chief legal counsel, David McCraw, said the presence of federal agents at the journalists' residences "should shock every American who believes in the Constitution and the freedom of the press it protects."
The newspaper has announced that it will legally oppose these calls, arguing that forcing journalists to reveal confidential sources harms the media's ability to inform the public on issues of high public interest.
This issue is seen as another episode in the ongoing clash between the Trump administration and major American media outlets over the publication of classified or sensitive national security information.
Earlier this year, similar subpoenas were sent to journalists from the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, but they were later withdrawn.
Meanwhile, an FBI investigation into another journalist in a separate leak case has heightened concerns among media freedom organizations in the United States.
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