DOJ withdraws subpoena seeking Washington Post reporter’s testimony

Ellen Nakashima, a national security reporter for The Washington Post, was subpoenaed by the Department of Justice in spring 2026, ordering her to appear to testify before a grand jury, the newspaper reported.

The agency dropped the legal order in June, along with three others sent to reporters for The Wall Street Journal, after the newspapers objected to them in court.

The Journal first reported in May that it had received subpoenas, noting that they concerned a Feb. 23 article about warnings given to President Donald Trump about the risks of a prolonged military campaign against Iran.

The newspaper reported that other subpoenas had been issued to media organizations, as well as email and phone providers, as part of internal leak investigations, but did not provide details.

On June 23, the Post confirmed that not only had one of its journalists — Nakashima — been subpoenaed, but that all four subpoenas had sought testimony before a grand jury and been challenged by the newspapers 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.

In a statement posted to social media, a Post spokesperson said the government’s request could have jeopardized journalistic independence.

“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,” Post spokesperson Olivia Petersen wrote. “We will continue to stand fully behind the journalism of The Washington Post and fight all efforts by any administration that violate our First Amendment rights.”

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

Shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office, his DOJ rescinded Biden-era policies protecting journalists from becoming embroiled in federal leak investigations.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.”