DOJ withdraws NYT reporters subpoenas after court rebuke and admission of legal errors

The Justice Department pulled subpoenas seeking testimony from three New York Times reporters and relatives about sources for articles on President Trump’s Qatar-funded Air Force One after a federal judge criticized the government’s handling as sloppy and overreaching, warning that subpoenas should be used only as a last resort. The move follows similar withdrawals targeting reporters from other outlets and raises questions about the scope of the investigation and whether other sources could provide needed information. The public hearing highlighted tensions between the government’s attempt to compel leaks and the protections afforded to journalists.