The White House directed Kash Patel, the FBI director, to lead an investigation into leaks related to reporting by The New York Times concerning security issues with the newly acquired Air Force One, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move culminated in subpoenas being served late Friday to several Times reporters, demanding their testimony before a grand jury on July 15.
Patel canceled a scheduled trip to Chicago and spent about eight hours at the White House on Friday to oversee the inquiry personally, deviating from usual practice where such investigations are managed from FBI headquarters. He also briefed senior administration officials on the progress of the investigation during that time.
The inquiry was sparked by reporting last week that the Qatari-donated Boeing 747, which President Donald Trump has been using as Air Force One, lacks several defensive countermeasures present on the previous presidential aircraft. Experts have expressed concerns that the absence of advanced missile defense systems could pose risks during overseas flights—not only to the president but also to the large contingents of White House staff, the Secret Service, journalists, and guests who travel aboard the plane.
Trump reportedly expressed frustration over the coverage. After a flight to a NATO meeting in Turkey earlier last week, he switched back to the older Air Force One upon departure due to Secret Service concerns, a detail first reported by The Times. The president publicly stated that the older plane was chosen for “old time’s sake” and to show the new plane to U.S. troops stationed in the United Kingdom before returning to the United States on the Qatari jet.
The investigation’s acceleration reflects an uncommon level of White House involvement in leak inquiries. Traditionally, authorities first focus on identifying potential internal misconduct before approaching news organizations. Past leak investigations have relied on internal scrutiny of officials with access to classified material, and subpoenas to reporters have generally been a last resort.
Officials from the Department of Justice emphasized that journalists are not considered targets but that the objective is to identify those responsible for unauthorized disclosures of classified information. White House communications director Steven Cheung stated that President Trump remains focused on national security and public safety.
FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson confirmed Patel’s visit to the White House for briefings but declined further comment, dismissing speculative reports about the nature of the meeting.
The subpoenas were issued by the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, who has been nominated to serve as the director of national intelligence. The timing coincides with Clayton's scheduled Senate confirmation hearing.
David McCraw, chief legal officer for The New York Times, condemned the subpoenas as an intimidation tactic aimed at discouraging journalistic transparency, describing the actions as unprecedented and detrimental to the public’s right to information.
This case highlights growing tensions between the Trump administration and news organizations amid several ongoing leak investigations, marking a notable shift in the approach to handling classified information disclosures.