The Trump administration revoked Biden-era protections for journalists in leak investigations Friday, allowing authorities to compel reporters to testify against their sources once again.
“Federal government employees intentionally leaking sensitive information to the media undermines the ability of the Department of Justice to uphold the rule of law, protect civil rights, and keep America safe,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi in a memo obtained by NPR. “This conduct is illegal and wrong, and it must stop.”
The new policy permits authorities to extract an unprecedented level of information from journalists. It authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) to use subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants to obtain sensitive details.
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Journalists were sheltered during the Biden administration through a policy that defended their news-gathering process. The DOJ at the time stopped secretly seizing reporters’ records to identify sources during leak investigations. Many reporters do not disclose this material to protect a source or maintain a critical relationship.
Bondi cited instances of leaks in her memo that included sharing classified information about intelligence assessments about the Tren de Aragua gang and news about the Defense Department’s Dan Caldwell getting suddenly put on leave.
“The Attorney General must also approve efforts to question or arrest members of thew [sic] news media,” Bondi wrote.
She promised to still defend press independence “despite the lack of independence of certain members of the legacy news media.” The DOJ will try to seek “enhanced approval” and “advance notice procedures” from the journalists, she added.
Bondi’s aggressive move is yet another example of President Donald Trump’s war on the press. Since taking office, the president has banned journalists whose coverage of the administration he dislikes from the press pool, and vilified outlets that challenge his authority.
Bruce Brown, president of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said that some of the nation’s most consequential reporting is possible “because reporters have been able to protect the identities of confidential sources and uncover and report stories that matter to people across the political spectrum.”
