The Washington Post has filed a petition in federal court demanding the return of digital equipment taken from the home of its journalist Hannah Natanson. This incident occurred amid a probe involving a Pentagon contractor allegedly mishandling classified data.
Magistrate Judge in Alexandria, Virginia, has issued a temporary injunction preventing federal agents from examining any information found on the devices seized from Natanson's residence last week. The court also arranged a hearing set for February 6 to review the newspaper's request further.
During the government’s search, authorities confiscated a mobile phone, two laptops, a recording device, a portable hard drive, and a Garmin smartwatch from Natanson’s home, as detailed in court documents. This search was connected to an investigation targeting Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, a Pentagon contractor who was taken into custody earlier this month over allegations of unauthorized possession and retention of classified materials.
In a formal statement, The Washington Post criticized the government's actions, asserting that the seizure of confidential journalistic materials undermines free expression, disrupts news-gathering processes, and causes irreparable damage daily while the authorities continue to hold these items. The newspaper emphasized that the confiscated content spans numerous stories and represents years of reporting, including correspondence with sensitive sources.
The Post's court filing stressed the necessity for the immediate return of all seized property and requested legal prohibitions on the further use of any material derived from the seized devices, warning that any lesser measures would set a precedent enabling recurring intrusions into newsroom operations and facilitating censorship through search warrants.
The investigation involving Natanson originated in connection with Perez-Lugones, the Pentagon contractor arrested under the charge of improperly handling classified information. While Natanson has covered extensive aspects of the federal government, especially focusing on Republican President Donald Trump's reshaping of administration personnel, her reporting has resulted in a substantial network of sources, garnering her recognition among colleagues as a significant figure within the federal workforce reportage.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the search of Natanson's home was conducted at the Department of Defense's request, citing concerns over the journalist accessing and disseminating classified information illegally obtained from the contractor. Notably, Perez-Lugones, a Navy veteran residing in Maryland, has not been formally accused of leaking classified information or transmitting it to the press.
The Justice Department operates under internal policies regulating responses to leaks involving the news media. Earlier this year, Bondi introduced new directives restoring prosecutorial capabilities to employ subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants to investigate unauthorized disclosures to journalists. These rules reversed previous protections that barred seizure of reporters’ phone records without their knowledge.
Bruce Brown, president of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, condemned the raid on Natanson's residence as unprecedented and detrimental to public interest journalism. He highlighted the broader implications for press freedom, emphasizing the importance of judicial action to prevent government access to the material until the constitutional concerns are resolved.