White House Officials Asked to Surrender Phones in Leak Investigation Over Qatari Presidential Plane Security Flaws

The FBI has intensified its investigation into leaks about security flaws in the Qatari plane gifted to former President Donald Trump, which was converted into a presidential aircraft. As part of the probe, several White House officials were requested to hand over their mobile phones to investigators, though some refused, according to CNN. Trump expressed anger over the leak and personally discussed the investigation with FBI Director Christopher Wray, an unusual direct involvement that deviates from the typical independence of the FBI from elected officials.

The investigation, led by Wray and Trump’s Chief of Staff Suzie Wiles, was launched swiftly after the leak became public, shaking the administration. Earlier reports from The New York Times revealed that the White House ordered the probe and summoned several Times journalists for testimony. An FBI official reportedly asked the newspaper to reveal its sources before the story’s publication but was refused.

During the investigation, at least one federal agency warned its employees to immediately contact their legal counsel if approached by outsiders seeking information or electronic devices. Authorities also sought information from individuals who accompanied Trump or were involved in the trip, spanning multiple government agencies. However, compliance with the phone surrender request was not universal.

The New York Times announced it would legally challenge the subpoenas issued to its journalists, with its chief legal counsel David McCraw condemning the summons as "offensive and inappropriate." The security concerns about the $400 million Qatari plane surfaced after Trump unexpectedly announced he would not return from the NATO summit in Turkey on the gifted aircraft, citing fears of Iranian attempts to harm the president due to the plane’s vulnerabilities.