Jeff Sessions May Force Reporters To Reveal Sources Of Leaks

WASHINGTON, DC — As leaks of classified and otherwise sensitive information pour from all corners of the federal government, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Friday that he may crack down on the members of the media who report these stories — despite widespread acceptance of the idea that the First Amendment offers broad protections to the press on this front.

“We respect the important role that the press plays," Sessions said at a morning press conference. "And we'll give them respect, but it is not unlimited." (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

He did not say specifically what changes he was pursuing, though the department will be reexamining its policy for subpoenaing members of the media. He continued: "They cannot place lives at risk with impunity. We must balance the press’s role with protecting our national security and the lives of those who serve in the intelligence community, the armed forces and all law-abiding Americans."

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News agencies will frequently contact the government when they obtain classified information, and they often honor credible requests to hold back certain pieces of information for reasons of national security. For example, when multiple outlets reported that President Trump revealed highly sensitive and classified intel about an Israeli informant with ISIS to the Russian, reporters did not include in their stories the spy's location. Doing so, the government said, could endanger this source of intelligence.

Sessions took no questions at the press conference.

The Department of Justice has increased its investigation of leaks since Trump took office, the attorney general said. He gave a simple warning to those looking to reveal classified information: "Don't do it."

On Thursday, the Washington Post published transcripts of the president's conversations with two world leaders. Even many critics of the administration expressed concerns about this leak and its potential to undermine the diplomatic relationships.

During his time in the White House, President Obama faced criticism for what many saw as an overly aggressive prosecution of leakers.

Watch a replay of the event below:

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