NEW YORK—The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that it had received Justice Department subpoenas seeking records of reporters in connection with a February article about Pentagon officials’ warnings to President Trump regarding the risks of a military campaign in Iran. This move appears to be the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign to suppress news reporting critical of the Iran war and U.S. military strategy, threatening both press freedom and the public’s right to know.

The following can be attributed to Katie Fallow, deputy litigation director at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University:

“This is the latest attack in the Trump administration’s war on press freedom. Time and again, the administration has shown itself willing to disregard the First Amendment and long-standing limits on the use of government power to go after news outlets that publish embarrassing or critical information about the government. Subpoenas targeting journalists can deter reporting that is vital to our democracy. The Justice Department should explain publicly why these subpoenas were necessary and legally permissible, and Congress and the courts should scrutinize that explanation carefully.”

For more information, contact: Adriana Lamirande, [email protected]