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Department of Justice Subpoenas Journalist Over Reporting on 2019 North Korea Mission
Just the facts
The subpoena was delivered to Cole's legal counsel following an attempt by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents to serve it at his New York City residence. Cole co-authored a September 2025 article for The New York Times with Dave Philipps detailing a U.S. Navy SEAL operation intended to plant electronic surveillance equipment on North Korean shores. Defense attorney David A. O'Neil and New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander stated that Cole will challenge the demand under First Amendment press protections. The legal action follows separate Department of Justice subpoenas directed at journalists covering government and military activities.
Why this is news
The United States Department of Justice issued a subpoena to freelance reporter Matthew Cole seeking source information regarding a report on a 2019 military mission in North Korea.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.