FBI’s raid on Washington Post reporter was the first of its kind, with more to come

Pam Bondi (Phil Pasquini/shutterstock.com)

The FBI search of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson’s home marks the first time the Justice Department has executed a search warrant at a journalist’s residence in a national security leak case, according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Agents seized her phone, two computers, and a Garmin watch.

Natanson had been reporting on federal workers impacted by Trump administration policies. Last month, she wrote about being “the federal government whisperer,” describing 1,169 Signal contacts from across the government — people who “decided to trust me with their stories.” Attorney General Pam Bondi said Natanson “was obtaining and reporting classified and illegally leaked information from a Pentagon contractor.”

It’s not a crime in the United States for journalists to obtain or publish leaked documents. “Journalists are legally permitted to publish government secrets and the courts have again and again reaffirmed that First Amendment right,” said Clayton Weimers of Reporters Without Borders USA. The DOJ claims Natanson isn’t a target — but raiding her home, seizing her devices, and potentially accessing her sources sends a clear message to every federal worker who might consider talking to a reporter.

“Searches of newsrooms and journalists are hallmarks of illiberal regimes, and we must ensure that these practices are not normalized here,” said Jameel Jaffer of the Knight First Amendment Institute. Last April, the DOJ ended Merrick Garland’s policy restricting subpoenas of reporters. Now we see what replaces it.