The Justice Department withdrew subpoenas Thursday it had previously filed against three New York Times journalists as part of a leak probe. The Times report, citing anonymous sources, prompted a leak probe by the DOJ, hoping to target those who gave the Times journalists the sensitive information. This judge’s conduct overrides clear longstanding principles and common sense—blocking the grand jury from receiving core evidence in a national security investigation." The subpoenas targeting the Times journalists sparked an outcry among critics, accusing the Trump administration of violating First Amendment rights. The DOJ previously defended the subpoenas, highlighting the crime of leaking national security information while stressing that the Times journalists weren't the target of the probe.