The Trump administration subpoenaed a New York Times journalist for reporting on a covert military operation in North Korea. The newspaper announced that freelance reporter Matthew Cole received a federal subpoena as a result.
The subpoena is linked to Cole's article published last year about a secret mission by US Navy SEALs who landed on the North Korean coast in 2019. In the investigation conducted with Times national reporter Dave Philipps, Cole reported that the operation aimed to plant an electronic bug to intercept communications but failed after encountering a North Korean boat and coming under fire.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents went to Cole's home in New York in February to deliver the subpoena. When Cole was not home, the subpoena was later sent to his lawyer.
Seen as an attack on press freedom
New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander described the subpoena as "part of the government's attacks on journalists." Stadtlander said, "The demand to reveal sources is yet another brazen and illegal assault aimed at depriving the public of vital information."
This development came after the Trump administration last week withdrew subpoenas sent to Times reporters who had covered security concerns related to the Air Force One plane. The Wall Street Journal also received a similar subpoena in March over its report on Pentagon warnings about a US-Israel war against Iran.
Political reactions and warning of chilling effect
Democratic Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff criticized the Justice Department's lack of transparency and aggressive treatment of journalists. The two said, "This situation, driven by President Trump after being bothered by negative coverage, is a clear example of the administration's pattern of pressuring media outlets."
Groups such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) warned that such subpoenas could have a "chilling effect on the work of journalists across the country." The Justice Department, meanwhile, argues that subpoenas are necessary to protect national security secrets.
