2 minutes agoTrump-“York Times”: Four journalists are called to trial after new Air Force One security report
Periskopi(an hour ago)
(an hour ago)Donald Trump's administration is involved in another clash with American media, as four journalists from the newspaper “The New York Times” have been called to testify before a large federal jury in Manhattan, under an investigation into the flow of information on a new Qatar-donating Air Force One plane donated.
The US Department of Justice has issued a appeal to journalists Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmidt, asking them to appear before the federal jury next week. According to the paper, some of the reports were delivered by federal agents directly to journalists' residences.
The investigation relates to an article from the New York Times “, where the paper reported on possible shortcomings in the security systems of the new presidential aircraft, donated to the US from Qatar and was expected to be used by the American president.
According to the newspaper's report, Donald Trump travelled on the new plane towards the NATO summit in Turkey, but Air Force used the current Air Force One for the return. “York Times” wrote that the decision came after the intervention of security services, as the new Boeing 747-8 had not yet installed all advanced defence systems used on the traditional presidential plane, including several anti-prone equipment.
The reporting was based on anonymous sources and prompted reactions by the US administration, which dismissed claims of security problems. The White House said the new plane is equipped with advanced technology and high-level systems for the protection of the president and his staff.
US officials also argued that changes in the routes and way of using presidential aircraft are part of common security practices to avoid possible threats.
“New York Times”: Calls at trial violate press freedom
The American newspaper reacted sharply to the Justice Department's decision, calling it an attack on media freedom.
“New legal adviser The York Times”, David McCraw, stated that the authorities' actions should disturb any citizen who believes in constitutional protection of press freedom.
The paper made it known that it would object to those requests in court, arguing that the obligation of journalists to reveal confidential sources damages the media's ability to inform the public on issues of national importance.
The case is part of a broader clash between the Trump administration and the leading American media regarding publishing information related to national security.
Earlier, similar calls to the trial had been sent to reporters of “Washington Post” and <x2Wall Street Journal”, while other investigative cases have added to organisations' concerns about protecting press freedom in the US./Periscope/
