Washington: President Donald Trump defended the use of legal measures to identify government officials who leak classified or sensitive information, saying his administration was targeting “leakers” rather than journalists and arguing that national security concerns can justify compelling reporters to reveal confidential sources.
The remarks came after Trump was asked about reports that the Justice Department had withdrawn subpoenas issued to New York Times journalists in connection with reporting related to Air Force One.
“We’re not after journalists, we’re after leakers,” Trump said.
“We’re after people that are cowards, people that are unpatriotic, people that are treasonous in many cases.”
Trump argued that identifying the source of unauthorised disclosures often requires questioning journalists who receive leaked information.
“The way you find them is through the journalists,” he said. He added that reporters “probably know they shouldn’t write” certain information involving national security.
Asked whether he believed it was appropriate to subpoena family members of journalists during leak investigations, Trump did not directly answer the question but defended using legal tools where national security was involved.
“I don’t know what’s appropriate, what’s not. We do it legally.”
The President repeatedly drew comparisons with former President Barack Obama, claiming previous administrations had also pursued journalists during leak investigations.
“Barack Hussein Obama did it all the time. He went after journalists and nobody said anything about it.”
“He did it many times and nobody said anything about it. But when a Republican does it, when in particular Trump does it, everybody makes a big deal.”
Trump said the focus should remain on protecting classified information rather than shielding those responsible for leaking it.
“When you have somebody doing a national security leak, or a leak of great importance, and you have somebody inside the walls of, let’s say, the White House leaking, I think that’s a national security concern.”
He said asking journalists to identify confidential sources could be justified in such cases.
“The way you find out is you say to the journalists, if it’s national security, who gave you this information?”
“I think it’s absolutely fine.”
Trump also referred to the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion in the Dobbs case that overturned Roe v. Wade, arguing that the individual responsible should have been identified.
“We had a lot of, look at the Supreme Court where they leaked the opinion of Roe v. Wade early. That person should be found.”
The President maintained that his administration’s concern was not with news organisations but with government officials who disclose sensitive information without authorisation. “I really put it down to national security,” he said.
The exchange came during a lengthy White House question-and-answer session following an event marking new milestones in the administration’s civilian nuclear energy initiative. Trump answered questions on Iran, Saudi Arabia, tariffs, energy policy, Venezuela and domestic political issues before addressing the Justice Department’s handling of leak investigations.
The relationship between the US government and the press over confidential sources has long been a contentious issue. Successive administrations of both political parties have investigated unauthorised disclosures of classified information, while news organisations have argued that protecting confidential sources is essential to investigative journalism and press freedom.
Federal law does not provide an absolute shield protecting journalists from subpoenas, although Justice Department policies governing investigations involving members of the news media have evolved over time.
(IANS)
