Overview
- The White House instructed FBI Director Kash Patel to take charge of an inquiry into leaks tied to New York Times reporting about President Trump’s Qatari-donated aircraft and related sensitive material.
- Four New York Times reporters were subpoenaed to appear before a Manhattan grand jury to testify about the sources for the stories.
- The FBI publicly disputed aspects of reporting that said Patel ran the probe from the White House for hours, saying only that he met with White House officials to brief an ongoing matter.
- The Justice Department’s public affairs office said reporters are not the targets of the investigation and that officials are pursuing those who leaked classified information.
- Patel’s role comes under a broader lens of congressional oversight because lawmakers have already been probing his travel, use of bureau resources, and other conduct, which could shape further oversight and legal disputes.