The U.S. administration has launched an investigation into journalists over a leak claiming that the Qatari Boeing 747 provided to President Trump was not sufficiently secure to fly him back to Washington, according to the Israeli news site HaRadar. The report adds to a growing legal pressure on the press following the same story, which the New York Times earlier said prompted Justice Department subpoenas.
A new report from the Israeli news site HaRadar, published at 22:08 Jerusalem, indicates that the U.S. administration has launched an investigation into journalists over the leak that the Qatari Boeing 747 provided to President Trump was not sufficiently secure to fly him back to Washington. The development follows the Justice Department's subpoenas of New York Times journalists earlier Saturday, which the Times itself reported at 19:00 Jerusalem.
The story emerged Saturday morning, with initial reports at 07:39 Jerusalem that NYT correspondents who uncovered security flaws in Trump's aircraft had been summoned for a hearing (The Zioneer, Saturday 07:39). The Trump administration then issued legal subpoenas for grand jury testimony to several NYT journalists, a move the newspaper's legal adviser condemned as a 'blatant attempt' to intimidate the press (The Zioneer, Saturday 07:39). The New York Times later confirmed the subpoenas in its own reporting (The Zioneer, Saturday 19:00). The underlying security concerns were detailed by The Zioneer at 21:37 Jerusalem, noting the aircraft lacks missile defense systems.
The security concerns about the Qatari aircraft are part of a broader context of heightened threats. As The Zioneer reported on Thursday, July 9, the US administration was on high alert over fears of an assassination attempt on Trump. The aircraft's lack of missile defense, reported at 21:37, raised questions about its suitability as an interim Air Force One.
The HaRadar report does not specify the number of journalists under investigation or name the outlets involved. It remains unclear whether the investigation is a formal criminal probe or an internal administrative inquiry.
6 developments
- StrongReport: Trump's Qatari aircraft lacks missile defense systems
- DevelopingUS on high alert over growing fear of assassination attempt on Trump, Israeli media reports
- DevelopingWhite House fears unprecedented leak of secret Situation Room discussions
- DevelopingWSJ: Trump now routinely asks aides whether Netanyahu's account of their calls is accurate
Source and signal
- Internal intake