White House Directed Patel to Oversee Investigation Involving Times Reporting

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times

July 11, 2026 Updated 4:51 p.m. ET


The White House directed Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, to oversee a leak investigation into reporting by The New York Times about security issues with the new Air Force One, leading to a flurry of subpoenas to several Times reporters Friday night, according to people with knowledge of the situation.

Mr. Patel scuttled a planned trip to Chicago and spent roughly eight hours at the White House on Friday, running the investigation from there rather than F.B.I. headquarters -- a major departure from historical practice. Mr. Patel also briefed senior administration officials on the investigation, two people said. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive internal discussions.

The White House's deep involvement in the case came after officials said that President Trump was enraged about the coverage of the Qatari-donated plane, which The Times reported Thursday lacks the same defensive countermeasures of the previous Air Force One. Mr. Trump flew on the new jet to a NATO meeting in Turkey earlier in the week, but was forced to change to the old plane when he departed because of Secret Service concerns, as The Times reported on Wednesday.

Mr. Patel's role in the investigation, in close coordination with top administration officials, reflects a further dismantling of the wall that had separated the White House and the F.B.I. in previous administrations. The government's effort to immediately seek information from journalists, when such cases are typically centered first on identifying potential internal wrongdoing by officials, comes as the Trump administration has intensified pressure on news organizations.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/us/politics/white-house-patel-investigation-times.html

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REFERENCES

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143693534
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143693632

[efhmc]

1. Is there any law, rule or regulation the pedopres had not broken yet?

[hookaleft]

2. So that is why he was summoned to the White House

And I was stupid enough to think he was going to get fired.

[PatSeg]

7. I think Trump is trying to keep Patel occupied

and hopefully out of trouble by giving him some busy work. But I don't expect him to last much longer, he just can't stay out of trouble. All that power went to his head.

[hookaleft]

8. I think this story might be a cover story because

snip>
The subpoenas contain few specifics, asking only that the journalists testify “in regard to an alleged violation of federal criminal law.” They were issued by Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan. Mr. Clayton, who leads one of the country’s most prominent law enforcement offices, was recently nominated by Mr. Trump to serve as director of national intelligence.
snip>
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/business/media/new-york-times-trump-subpoenas.html

Why the hell would they rely on the expertise of Patel???

And I just had a thought: What if they suspect Patel to be the leaker???

Somebody had to record the "Freak Out" meeting in the situation room that Maggie Habberman reported on in the New York Times. And according to sources, two people phoned in for the meeting. And those two were Pam Bondi and Kash Patel.

[jgmiller]

3. So by launching this investigation they have proven that the reporting is correct

These people are so inept calling them idiots is an afront to idiots everywhere. They lie when they don't need to and they don't lie when they should. The smart thing to do from a security and PR standpoint would have been to deny there was any issue with the plane and ignore the story but now by going after the press they've confirmed it.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. Trump administration subpoenas New York Times journalists who reported security concerns around new Air Force One

trump's feelings were hurt when NO ONE bought his lame story as to why he flew back in the older Air Force One. trump was told that it would take years to get the Qatari grift plane ready but did not want to wait.

Link to tweet

https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/11/politics/new-york-times-trump-subpoenas-journalists

Four New York Times journalists who reported on security concerns surrounding a Qatari-gifted jet serving as the new Air Force One have been subpoenaed by the Justice Department, the news outlet reported early Saturday.....

The subpoenas suggest the Trump administration is trying to find out who leaked to The Times before the news organization reported this week that President Donald Trump left a NATO summit in Turkey on the old Air Force One over security concerns from the Secret Service.

The orders for the journalists to testify came after FBI Director Kash Patel met with officials at the White House on Friday to discuss the bureau’s investigation into disclosures about security concerns with the new plane, sources familiar with the matter told CNN.....

Sources told CNN that Trump has been fuming at the reports of security concerns surrounding the $400 million gift from Qatar, and was embarrassed and angry in recent days when it became public that the plane was not equipped enough to be flown directly from Turkey back home......

But CNN reported Thursday that security personnel felt more comfortable with the president aboard the older Air Force One — which was built from scratch with presidential safety in mind — rather than the plane that had recently been retrofitted after it was donated by Qatar.

Trump then switched planes at a secure US airbase in the UK. He downplayed the idea security was the reason for the switch, though sources have told CNN and other outlets that it was.

[Talitha]

5. Bloodhound Patel won't stop they find the box cutter that severed the security issues.

Then he'll arrest the vandals that did it.

[Buddyzbuddy]

6. The thought of the FBI Director kneeling by his owner's side while he sits there stroking his dog, Patel's head

is just too gross to keep to myself.