FBI agents searched the home of the Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson, on Wednesday, 14 January, as part of an investigation into the alleged sharing of classified government information.
Natanson has covered U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to fire large numbers of federal workers and reorient the civil service towards his policy agenda.
However, according to media, during the search of Natanson's Virginia home, the investigators told her she was not the target of the probe.
The investigation was linked to the case against Aurelio Perez-Lugones, a technology specialist for a U.S. government contractor, the Washington Post reported.
Perez-Lugones was charged last week with unlawful retention of national defence information. Prosecutors allege he took screenshots of classified intelligence reports and printed them, according to a criminal complaint.
Investigators later found documents marked “secret” in a lunchbox in his car and in his basement, an FBI document said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the search was carried out at the request of the Defence Department.
Bondi defended the investigation, saying on X that the administration “will not tolerate illegal leaks of classified information” that pose a threat to national security.
The probe comes after the Justice Department's 2025 decision to reverse a longstanding policy that largely barred prosecutors from seizing journalists’ records.
Press-freedom advocates criticised the search as an escalation in pressure on the media.
Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute, said searches involving journalists were “hallmarks of illiberal regimes” and warned against allowing such practices to become normalised.
U.S. President Donald Trump has frequently clashed with major news organisations and is currently pursuing lawsuits against several outlets, including the BBC, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million peop...
Counting is underway in Armenia’s parliamentary elections, with the results of the vote set to determine the makeup of the National Assembly and sha...
The Iranian national football team is set to arrive in North America for the World Cup after finally securing travel documents, but a dispute over U.S...
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships ...
Sirens rang out across multiple areas of Israel on Sunday night after missiles were launched from Iran towards the country, the Israeli military said...
Counting is underway in Armenia’s parliamentary elections, with the results of the vote set to determine the makeup of the National Assembly and shape the country's political direction for the foreseeable future. But in Armenia, the final result is not decided by vote percentages alone.
The Iranian national football team is set to arrive in North America for the World Cup after finally securing travel documents, but a dispute over U.S. visa approvals continues to cast a shadow over the country's tournament preparations.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has warned ahead of World Environment Day that Afghanistan's worsening water crisis is disproportionately affecting women and girls, who bear much of the responsibility for securing water for their families.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launches retaliatory strikes on four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf.
The Iranian national football team is set to arrive in North America for the World Cup after finally securing travel documents, but a dispute over U.S. visa approvals continues to cast a shadow over the country's tournament preparations.
At least a dozen people were wounded, two critically, on Saturday (6 June) in Toledo, Ohio, as two shooters traded gunfire, police said.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 7 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al‑Zaidi will pay an official visit to the United States, bringing with him a delegation of business leaders, private‑sector representatives and banking officials, in an effort to boost investment and deepen economic ties with Washington.
People across Gaza are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with millions struggling to access food, clean water, shelter and medical care as the conflict continues.
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