Don’t Let Trump Use the FBI to Bully NYT and the Press

Todd Blanche’s confirmation hearing starts this week — and Congress must use it to confront Trump’s Justice Department for subpoenaing New York Times reporters.

DOJ has subpoenaed four New York Times reporters after they reported on security concerns involving Trump’s new Qatari-gifted Air Force One. Now those journalists are reportedly being ordered to testify before a federal grand jury days from now.

If Trump’s DOJ and FBI can punish reporters for embarrassing the president, every journalist gets the message: investigate Trump, and federal agents may come for you next. Congress can't let that happen.

Tell Congress: Investigate Trump’s Justice Department and stop the FBI from being used to bully the press.

The First Amendment is not optional. Reporters must be able to investigate presidents, foreign gifts, national security risks, and government misconduct without being threatened by grand juries and federal agents.

Trump has spent years calling the press the enemy. Now his Justice Department is turning that threat into action — using the power of the federal government to intimidate journalists who reported something he did not like.

Congress must demand answers from FBI Director Kash Patel and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. They must determine whether the Justice Department and FBI are being used as Trump’s personal retaliation machine.

If Congress stays silent, this abuse becomes easier to repeat. A free press cannot survive if reporters are dragged before grand juries whenever their reporting embarrasses the president.

Add your name now to demand Congress defend the First Amendment, investigate Trump’s attack on the press, and stop DOJ and the FBI from bullying reporters.

The petition to Congress reads:

“Use Todd Blanche’s confirmation hearing and congressional oversight powers to investigate the Justice Department’s subpoenas against New York Times journalists, demand their withdrawal, and stop federal law enforcement from intimidating reporters or punishing journalism in the public interest.”