The US Justice Department withdrew subpoenas seeking testimony and phone records from New York Times journalists after a federal judge sharply criticised the government’s handling of the case. The subpoenas concerned reporting on security concerns surrounding President Trump’s Qatari-donated Air Force One aircraft, and their withdrawal reduces an immediate threat to reporters’ confidential sources while the leak investigation continues.

Judge Arun Subramanian questioned Justice Department lawyers over legal errors, including failures connected with notices about phone-record subpoenas; some requests also covered relatives’ records. The Times reported that the newer aircraft lacked certain defensive features, including anti-missile capabilities, and that the administration spent $400 million retrofitting it; the Justice Department said journalists were not investigation targets, but those who leaked information were.