President Donald Trump directed the Justice Department to pursue journalists and their sources over leaks about the Iran war, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.
Trump handed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche a stack of news articles with the word “Treason” written on a sticky note. The move followed Trump’s anger over reports that detailed internal debates in his administration before the United States launched strikes on Iran in February.
Details of the leaks
One report that angered the president was a New York Times article published on April 7. It said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally urged Trump to take military action against Iran during a private Situation Room briefing.
The article also reported that Vice President JD Vance warned the strikes could harm Trump politically. CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly called Netanyahu’s arguments “farcical,” and Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the proposal.
The Wall Street Journal said federal investigators subpoenaed The New York Times over a February 23 article that quoted General Dan Caine warning Trump about the risks of a prolonged military campaign in Iran. Similar stories appeared in Axios and The Washington Post.
Trump ordered the strikes on Iran on February 28. The administration has also expressed frustration over coverage of a rescue operation after a U.S. fighter jet was shot down over Iran on April 3. One airman was rescued while another remained missing.
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Trump’s public response
At a news conference, Trump threatened legal action against news outlets that published operational details. “We’re going to go to the media company that released it, and we’re going to say, ‘national security; give it up or go to jail,’” he said, according to The Wall Street Journal.
A White House official told the Daily Mail that the administration was frustrated by “illegal leaks of classified information” that could endanger American lives.
Trump replaced former Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this year. Blanche, who had served as Trump’s defense attorney in the New York hush money case, is now acting attorney general. Blanche defended the approach, saying subpoenas of reporters can be justified in national security investigations.
The actions go beyond the Iran war stories. Federal agents previously searched the home of a Washington Post reporter in a separate case involving classified Pentagon intelligence.
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Why this matters
The reported pressure from President Trump on the Justice Department to investigate journalists raises questions about the balance between national security and press freedom during wartime.
Media organizations have pushed back strongly. Dow Jones, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, called the subpoenas “an attack on constitutionally protected newsgathering.”
The New York Times declined to comment.
The case comes as the Trump administration continues to manage the conflict with Iran. The leaks exposed divisions inside the administration over the decision to strike Iran.
How the Justice Department handles these investigations will shape future relations between the government and the news media. It also tests the limits of using national security powers to pursue reporters’ sources.
