DOJ withdraws subpoena for testimony by Wall Street Journal reporter

Three national security reporters at The Wall Street Journal were subpoenaed by the Department of Justice on March 4, 2026, as part of an internal leak investigation following reporting on the Iran war.

The agency dropped the legal orders in June, along with a fourth sent to a Washington Post reporter, after the newspapers objected to them in court.

The Journal reported that the grand jury subpoenas issued to the news outlet concerned a Feb. 23 article — authored by reporters Shelby Holliday, Lara Seligman and Alexander Ward — about warnings given to President Donald Trump about the risks of a prolonged military campaign against Iran.

A spokesperson for Dow Jones, which publishes the Journal, said in a May statement: “The government’s subpoenas to The Wall Street Journal and our reporters represent an attack on constitutionally protected newsgathering. We will vigorously oppose this effort to stifle and intimidate essential reporting.”

Shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office, his DOJ rescinded Biden-era policies protecting journalists from becoming embroiled in federal leak investigations. In May, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche made clear the department would not hesitate to subpoena members of the press who receive classified information.

“Prosecuting leakers who share our nation’s secrets with reporters, in turn risking our national security and the lives of our soldiers, is a priority for this administration,” Blanche wrote in a May 12 statement on social media. “Any witness, whether a reporter or otherwise, who has information about these criminals should not be surprised if they receive a subpoena about the illegal leaking of classified material.”

The Post reported that all four subpoenas sought testimony before a grand jury. Both newspapers challenged the legal orders in sealed proceedings before a federal court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Before a judge could issue a ruling, however, the DOJ withdrew the subpoenas.

Neither the Journal nor the DOJ responded to requests for comment.

In a statement posted to social media, a Post spokesperson said: “The unwarranted subpoena of our reporter Ellen Nakashima — a clear violation of constitutionally guaranteed press freedom — was another sign of the government seeking to compel journalists to become instruments of its investigations.”

It added that the newspaper would continue to stand behind its staff and fight any efforts that violate its First Amendment rights.