New York Times reveals Trump administration subpoena over North Korea story

What the report says

The New York Times said it is defending freelance reporter Matthew Cole after the Trump administration issued him a subpoena tied to reporting on a secret 2019 U.S. military mission in North Korea. According to the Times, FBI agents tried to serve the subpoena at Cole’s New York City home in February and later delivered it to his lawyer. The newspaper said Cole worked with national correspondent Dave Philipps on the investigation, which examined a covert Navy SEAL operation that allegedly aimed to place an electronic device to intercept communications.

Al Jazeera reported that the subpoena is part of a broader pattern of legal pressure on journalists under the Trump administration, with the Justice Department increasingly using subpoenas in leak-related cases. The Times and Cole’s lawyer said he intends to protect source confidentiality and challenge what they described as an attack on press freedom. Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander told Reuters the move was part of the government’s escalating efforts against reporters.

The development follows other recent disputes over subpoenas involving the Times, including a separate set of demands issued this month over reporting on security concerns with a new Air Force One jet; those subpoenas were later withdrawn. In March, reporters at The Wall Street Journal also faced subpoenas over an article involving Pentagon warnings related to the US-Israel war against Iran. Civil liberties groups and senators have criticized the trend, warning it could discourage source-driven reporting, while the Justice Department says such measures are needed to protect national security.