The U.S. Department of Justice subpoenas the Wall Street Journal as part of a grand jury investigation into alleged leaks tied to deliberations about potential military action related to Iran. The Wall Street Journal says it received the subpoenas on March 4, seeking reporters’ records connected to reporting the newspaper published on Feb. 23. The reporting discussed information described as involving Gen. Dan Caine, identified in the article as the chairman of a U.S. military command related to the topic.
The Wall Street Journal’s disclosure prompts debate about press freedom and the scope of investigations that seek materials connected to journalism. Other reporting on the subpoenas notes that critics question whether such requests could affect newsgathering or the protection of confidential journalistic sources, even as the Justice Department pursues a criminal leak inquiry.
The subpoenas are tied to an article about the risks and planning considerations surrounding a potential U.S.-Israeli conflict involving Iran, according to the Journal’s account and related coverage. The outlets do not describe any formal charges in the provided information, and the targets of the inquiry beyond the subpoenaed records are not specified.
