President Trump directed FBI Director Kash Patel to oversee an investigation involving reporting by the New York Times. Several times, reporters have written about the security of Air Force One.
The administration wants Patel to look into a leak with issues involving Air Force One. Several reporters were subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury.
The White House’s deep involvement in the case came after officials said that President Trump was enraged about the coverage of the Qatari-donated plane, which The Times reported Thursday lacks the same defensive countermeasures as the previous Air Force One.
Mr. Trump flew on the new jet to a NATO meeting in Turkey earlier in the week, but was forced to switch to the old plane on departure because of Secret Service concerns, as The Times reported on Wednesday.
Tbe Times attorneys are furious, calling the White House overly aggressive. The White House said they aren’t interested in the reporters, but rather the anonymous leaders of classified information.
