The U.S. Justice Department has subpoenaed the records of a freelance journalist who contributed to a New York Times investigation into a failed U.S. military operation in North Korea, the newspaper said.
According to the Times, freelance reporter Matthew Cole received the subpoena in February from federal prosecutors in Virginia, seeking more than two years of his reporting notes as well as his testimony as part of a leak investigation.
The subpoena relates to a 2025 report co-written by Cole that alleged U.S. Navy SEALs killed several unarmed North Koreans during a 2019 mission to plant a listening device near the country's coast. The investigation cited two dozen unnamed sources.
The subpoena could not be independently verified.
New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said the newspaper supported Cole's decision to disclose the subpoena publicly.
"We support Matthew Cole's decision to make public a subpoena that the government has attempted to keep secret," Stadtlander said.
He described the demand for Cole's notes and testimony as part of "the government's escalating attacks on journalists" and said forcing reporters to reveal confidential sources was "another brazen and illegal attack" that undermines the public's access to information.
The Times said it is covering Cole's legal costs.
The U.S. Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Cole's attorney, David A. O'Neil, also did not immediately comment on the case.
The subpoena comes amid renewed debate over press freedom and the protection of journalists' confidential sources, as federal authorities continue investigating alleged leaks of sensitive national security information.
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