(NEW YORK) — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Tuesday that members of the media “should not be surprised” if they receive subpoenas for information related to their sources on stories pertaining to national security-sensitive matters, following a Wall Street Journal report that the outlet received subpoenas stemming from its coverage of the war in Iran.
“Prosecuting leakers who share our nation’s secrets with reporters, in turn risking our national security and the lives of our soldiers, is a priority for this administration,” Blanche said. “Any witness, whether a reporter or otherwise, who has information about these criminals should not be surprised if they receive a subpoena about the illegal leaking of classified material.”
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the outlet received subpoenas back in March related to a Feb. 23 article that reported on military officials’ warnings to President Donald Trump of the risks of carrying out military action against Iran.
Trump, according to the Journal, later personally urged Blanche to more aggressively pursue leaks related to the war — at one point sliding him a list of articles with a sticky note on it reading, “Treason.”
A Justice Department spokesperson, in a statement to ABC News, said, “In all circumstances, the Department of Justice follows the facts and applies the law to identify those committing crimes against the United States.”
Blanche previously had said in a news conference that the DOJ would be moving forward with directly targeting reporters with subpoenas, alarming media outlets and First Amendment advocates who have noted the move is a break with recent precedent.
The Justice Department under the Biden administration had previously implemented strict guidelines for when prosecutors could use compulsory legal action to target reporters, framing such moves as the last resort when U.S. national security is imperiled.
Then-Attorney General Pam Bondi rescinded those guidelines last year.
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