Journalists from the world's largest democracy sued by Trump after writing about the US president's plane

Donald Trump has initiated legal action against four journalists from The New York Times, accusing them of defamation over their reporting on security concerns surrounding the new presidential aircraft, Air Force One. The lawsuit stems from articles published by the newspaper detailing alleged security vulnerabilities of the Boeing 747-8, which was reportedly donated by Qatar.

According to CNN, Trump was angered by the journalists' reports, which suggested the new aircraft might not be equipped with the same advanced defense systems as the older Boeing 747-200 models currently in service. The New York Times articles highlighted that the replacement of the aging presidential planes has been delayed, and the new aircraft, received as a gift from Qatar's royal family, might lack comparable defensive capabilities.

“

the new Air Force One is an ultramodern aircraft equipped with high-level security protocols that guarantee the protection of the president and his team.

The reporting also mentioned that Trump's security service recommended he use the older aircraft for his flight from a NATO summit in Turkey to a U.S. military base in the United Kingdom. This recommendation was reportedly made due to renewed hostilities with Iran, a country bordering Turkey. The White House, while avoiding detailed comments, stated that the new Air Force One is an "ultramodern aircraft equipped with high-level security protocols."

The lawsuit has drawn criticism from the newspaper's legal counsel, who denounced it as a "brazen act" intended to intimidate journalists and obstruct the public's right to information. The gift of the aircraft, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, has also raised ethical and constitutional questions regarding presidential acceptance of foreign gifts.

“

a brazen act that must be understood as an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in the country by intimidating journalists so they do not do their job.