Trump Admin Subpoenas NYT Reporter Over North Korea
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- Matthew Cole, a freelance reporter who co-investigated a secret 2019 Navy SEALs mission to plant an electronic bug on North Korean shores, received a Trump administration subpoena seeking his sources, the New York Times revealed Saturday.
- The 2019 mission reportedly fell apart when Navy SEALs encountered a North Korean boat and opened fire on those on board, according to Cole and his collaborator, Times national correspondent Dave Philipps.
- FBI agents attempted to serve the subpoena at Cole's New York City residence in February but found him not at home; the document was redirected to his lawyer, the Times reported.
- The New York Times is funding Cole's legal defense through attorney David A. O'Neil, who said Cole 'will defend press freedom and the First Amendment from this administration's brazen attacks on journalists.'
- The Trump administration has also subpoenaed Times journalists over Air Force One security reporting (withdrawn last week) and Wall Street Journal reporters about Pentagon warnings regarding the US-Israeli war against Iran.
- Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff demanded information about DOJ's subpoena practices, alleging the actions were 'seemingly directed by President Trump after he was upset by negative reporting,' while the Committee to Protect Journalists warned of a 'chilling effect' on journalism.
Why it matters: Cole's subpoena continues a documented pattern of DOJ legal action against journalists covering national security stories — three outlets targeted in months — with Senate Democrats alleging the moves are personally directed by Trump in retaliation for negative coverage. The Times is bankrolling the defense, turning the case into a public First Amendment battle rather than a quiet source-protection dispute.
