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US Justice Department summons New York Times reporter over North Korea report
🇩🇪 Germany /Crime & Justice

US Justice Department summons New York Times reporter over North Korea report

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The U.S. Justice Department has summoned freelance journalist Matthew Cole, who reported on a failed U.S. military operation in North Korea using anonymous sources.
  • FBI agents visited Cole at his home, demanding he reveal his informants, a move the Justice Department stated aims to prosecute those who unlawfully share national defense information.
  • This action is part of a broader pattern of the Trump administration targeting journalists, with previous summonses to New York Times reporters being withdrawn.

The U.S. Justice Department has summoned freelance journalist Matthew Cole, demanding he reveal his sources for a report on a botched U.S. military operation in North Korea. FBI agents visited Cole at his home, seeking information about his informants, a move that critics decry as an intimidation tactic.

all possible legal remedies to unmask those who unlawfully leak information to the national defense.

— U.S. Justice Department spokespersonThe spokesperson's statement regarding the government's intent to prosecute those who leak national defense information.

Cole's report, published by The New York Times, detailed how U.S. Navy SEALs killed unarmed North Koreans during a secret mission in early 2019. The operation aimed to install surveillance equipment near the North Korean coast. Cole based his revelations on information from over twenty anonymous sources.

a further brazen and illegal attack by the administration

— New York Times spokespersonDescribing the summons as an attempt to withhold important information from the public.

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment directly on Cole's case but stated the U.S. "will exhaust all available legal remedies to unmask those who unlawfully leak information to the national defense." The New York Times called the summons "another brazen and illegal attack by the administration" to withhold vital public information.

an attempt to intimidate

— David O’NeilCole's lawyer, commenting on the Justice Department's action.

Cole's lawyer, David O'Neil, described the summons as an "attempt to intimidate." He asserted that his client "has dedicated his professional life to exposing official misconduct" and would not be deterred from defending press freedom and protecting his sources. This incident follows similar summonses issued to other New York Times reporters earlier in July, which were later withdrawn by the Justice Department.

has dedicated his professional life to exposing official misconduct

— David O’NeilDescribing his client Matthew Cole's commitment to investigative journalism.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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