Trump Admin Subpoenas NYT Freelancer Over North Korea Story

The Trump administration has subpoenaed freelance journalist Matthew Cole as part of an investigation into reporting on a failed U.S. military operation in North Korea, according to multiple reports.

According to The Guardian, prosecutors in Virginia issued the subpoena, delivered by FBI agents to Cole’s home in New York. The subpoena demands two years' worth of contacts and sources from Cole, who co-wrote a 2019 story detailing how Navy SEALs killed several unarmed North Koreans during a mission to plant a listening device.

The New York Times, which is providing legal defense for Cole, described the subpoena as part of the administration’s escalating attacks on journalists. Cole's lawyer, David A O’Neil, stated that Cole will defend press freedom and honor his commitment to his sources. The Justice Department has not responded to requests for comment.

This revelation comes amid a broader campaign by the Trump administration against unauthorized disclosures to the press. Last month, the New York Times reported that its journalists had been subpoenaed as part of a leak investigation tied to reporting about issues involving the aircraft Trump received as a gift from Qatar. The justice department later withdrew those subpoenas.

In March, the administration also sought records from Wall Street Journal reporters in an effort to identify sources behind a February article detailing internal administration discussions about the risks of a war with Iran. The federal government had issued subpoenas, later withdrawn, to Washington Post and Wall Street Journal reporters over their coverage of “national security matters” and reportedly raided a Washington Post journalist’s home.