DOJ issued, then withdrew subpoenas to force Post, WSJ reporters to testify
Source: Washington Post
June 23, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. EDT
The Justice Department took the extraordinary step of seeking to force reporters for The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal to testify before a federal grand jury — but withdrew the subpoenas earlier this month after they were challenged by the news organizations, according to a Justice Department official familiar with the matter.
The grand jury subpoena to Washington Post reporter Ellen Nakashima this spring was related to sensitive reporting about a national security matter, the person said. The Justice Department also issued subpoenas to appear before a grand jury to three Wall Street Journal journalists, who also reported on national security issues.
The Washington Post was fighting the demand in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia in sealed proceedings when the government rescinded Nakashima’s subpoena, according to the official familiar with the matter. The Justice Department also withdrew the Wall Street Journal subpoenas, which the news organization had challenged in the same federal court, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss proceedings that are not public. None of the journalists testified before the grand jury, the official said.
The purpose and scope of the investigations that triggered the subpoenas are not clear, but the person familiar said they relate to national security matters. While the journalists are no longer scheduled to appear before a grand jury, the Justice Department’s action reflected a new front in the Trump administration’s aggressive tactics toward the media as it attempts to crack down on government leaks to the press and content that administration officials think is unfair to the president.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/06/23/doj-issued-then-withdrew-subpoenas-force-post-wsj-reporters-testify/
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