It's not uncommon for a media organization to receive a subpoena from the Justice Department for reporter records and to negotiate protections for its journalists. What stands apart is the total secrecy that surrounded the order, the months-long court proceeding and the Trump administration's unwillingness to negotiate. This spring, the Justice Department notified reporters at CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times that records had been seized in different investigations. Additional court records are still blocked from even CNN's view. CNN's lawyers attempted to resolve the matter, yet on January 15, five days before the Biden administration took over, the Justice Department again asked Trenga to reconsider.
