Former White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said he believes the Trump administration is unlikely to prevail in its latest legal effort targeting The New York Times, arguing the government might struggle to justify its investigation into the newspaper’s reporting.
Trump admin vs. ‘The New York Times’
Earlier in July, the Trump administration subpoenaed several journalists from the outlet over stories about a Boeing 747 gifted to President Donald Trump from Qatar’s royal family for use as the new Air Force One. Some reporters were served in person by federal agents and ordered to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan. The subpoenas cited an investigation into an alleged violation of federal criminal law but provided few details.
The reporting at issue focused on security concerns surrounding the retrofitted aircraft, which has since been removed from service. On July 8, The New York Times reported that Trump returned from Turkey aboard an older Air Force One instead of the gifted aircraft, describing the decision as “a security precaution.”
The newspaper condemned the subpoenas, saying, “This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs.”
The federal government also sought the journalists’ phone records and those belonging to some of their relatives.
The newspaper subsequently asked a judge to quash the subpoenas, and the Justice Department ultimately withdrew them, though the Trump admin insists the investigation continues.
Mick Mulvaney predicts an uphill battle
Mulvaney, who served as Trump’s White House chief of staff during his first administration, discussed the dispute during a recent appearance on NewsNation, predicting the administration faces an uphill legal battle.
“My guess is the administration will lose this,” Mulvaney said. “I’m not sure what the basis is for [an investigation]. Was there a national security leak? I have no idea.”
He added that he believes the newspaper was pursuing legitimate questions about the aircraft.
“I would be asking the exact same questions The New York Times was asking,” Mulvaney continued.
He then added of the president’s reaction to the reporting, “Look, Trump, when he gets upset, he lashes out.”
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