Story perspectives

DOJ Subpoenas NY Times Journalists' Phone Records, Judge Halts Enforcement

7/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Department of Justice subpoenaed phone records of New York Times journalists and relatives on July 10.
The subpoenas demanded call and text logs from Jan 1 2026 for the spouses of two reporters and for one reporter’s mother.
Judge Arun Subramanian paused enforcement while reviewing the Times’ motion to quash, prompting press-freedom groups to denounce the subpoenas as an extraordinary escalation that threatens journalists’ ability to gather news.

History

Historical Context

After President Richard Nixon’s 1971 attempt to block the Pentagon Papers, the Supreme Court rejected the prior-restraint request in a 6-3 ruling that upheld the New York Times’ First Amendment rights. The decision set a precedent that courts still cite when the Justice Department issued a July 10 subpoena seeking journalists’ call records, reviving the 1971 press-freedom clash.

1 of 2

Story summary

The U.S. Department of Justice subpoenaed phone records of New York Times journalists and relatives on July 10.
The subpoenas demanded call and text logs from Jan 1 2026 for the spouses of two reporters and for one reporter’s mother.
Judge Arun Subramanian paused enforcement while reviewing the Times’ motion to quash, prompting press-freedom groups to denounce the subpoenas as an extraordinary escalation that threatens journalists’ ability to gather news.

1 / 2