Donald Trump’s administration withdrew its subpoenas Thursday for three New York Times journalists who reported on Air Force One’s security issues. Lawyers for the publication appeared in court to challenge subpoenas that would’ve compelled reporters to testify about their confidential sources before a grand jury, and granted access to reporters’ and their family members’ phone records. Times lawyers argued that the Department of Justice had ignored its own protocols for failing to give advance notice and issuing subpoenas “without first conducting any serious investigation.” On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian seemed to agree. “Subpoenas are not the first thing you do, they are the last thing you do,” he said. The judge argued that the Trump administration’s actions had turned the First Amendment and free speech regulation “on its head.”After nearly an hour of intense grilling, Sean Buckley, chief counsel to the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, announced that the government was prepared to “unilaterally withdraw” its subpoenas. Subramanian made it clear he would have rejected the subpoenas anyway. White House officials were left fuming earlier this month after the Times reported that Trump had ditched his new Air Force One in Europe because it was missing certain security and communications capabilities. The president later announced plans to further “max out” the plane, suggesting that the $400 million luxury jumbo jet indeed lacked sufficient security features—all but confirming the story had been accurate. The Air Force has already spent roughly $400 million on renovating the plane, changing the cabin layout, communications system, and security upgrades. That doesn’t account for the taxpayer-funded continued maintenance of the plane, either. The Qatari-gifted jet will be moved to Trump’s presidential library foundation in 2029, where it may be available for him to use as a private citizen. This story has been updated.
A report by an international commission titled "The Essence of Childhood Has Been Destroyed," reveals how the Zionist entity has deliberately targeted children in the Palestinian territories.