Overview

• Attorney General Pam Bondi rescinded Biden-era protections that limited the DOJ's ability to subpoena journalists' records and compel testimony in leak investigations.
• The new policy, effective immediately, permits subpoenas, search warrants, and court orders targeting media organizations, with procedural safeguards requiring narrow targeting and high-level approval.
• Bondi framed the change as essential for protecting national security and combating unauthorized disclosures, which she described as harmful and illegal.
• The move follows criminal referrals by DNI Tulsi Gabbard of intelligence officials accused of leaking classified information to major media outlets.
• Press freedom advocates warn that the rollback could chill investigative journalism and undermine the confidentiality of sources critical to public accountability.