The Justice Department sought phone records of several New York Times journalists and their relatives, including a reporter's mother and two spouses, widening a leak investigation after the newspaper moved to quash earlier grand jury summonses.
Subpoenas signed by Jay Clayton, Trump's nominee for Director of National Intelligence, demanded records dating back to January 1, 2026 — months before the July 9 article alleging the Qatari-gifted Air Force One lacks antimissile defenses. Reporters Julian Barnes, Tyler Pager, Eric Schmitt, and Eric Lipton were among those targeted. The Times filed a motion to quash on July 17, calling the demands "abusive and improper," with a hearing set for July 23. The Freedom of the Press Foundation condemned the seizure of family records as "cowardly".
President Trump confirmed on July 19 that the $400 million Boeing 747-8 would be taken out of service this fall for roughly a month of upgrades, having used an older jet for his early-July departure from a NATO summit in Turkey.