After report on Air Force One, New York Times journalists summoned to testify; cited presidential plane's security

Four journalists from The New York Times have been summoned to testify before a federal grand jury as part of an investigation into the leak of information concerning alleged security concerns with the new presidential aircraft, Air Force One. The journalists – Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt – are expected to appear next week.

The Justice Department's investigation centers on who provided the information about the Secret Service's purported security worries regarding the new presidential plane. This development follows President Donald Trump's recent decision to use the older Boeing Air Force One instead of the newer aircraft, which was reportedly donated by Qatar.

The New York Times has condemned the subpoenas, with its lead newsroom lawyer, David McCraw, calling the action a "brazen attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country, by intimidating journalists from doing their work." The newspaper intends to challenge the court order, viewing it as a direct threat to the media's crucial role in gathering and disseminating information of public interest.

This situation arises after The New York Times first reported on the security concerns surrounding the new presidential aircraft. The report reportedly angered President Trump, who had previously retired the Boeing 747-200B used since the 1990s in favor of the aircraft donated by the Qatari royal family. The new plane has faced controversy in Washington due to its adaptation costs and questions about its reliability and potential conflicts of interest related to Qatar.