FBI Searches Home of Washington Post Reporter as Leak Probe Leads to Contractor’s Arrest

Overview

• Agents executed a warrant at Hannah Natanson’s Alexandria, Virginia home on Jan. 14 and seized her phone, two notebooks—one personal and one work-issued—and a smartwatch.
• Investigators told the Washington Post that Natanson is not the focus of the investigation.
• Aurelio Perez-Lugones, identified as a Pentagon contractor, was arrested, and authorities say documents marked “secret” were found in his car and residence.
• Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly confirmed the operation and said DOJ acted at the Pentagon’s request, while a White House spokesperson cited national security risks.
• Press freedom groups condemned the search, noting it follows the Trump administration’s rollback of a Biden-era policy that limited government access to journalists’ records.