“Subpoenas are the last step, not the first step, but the last step,” Judge Arun Subramanian said, citing rules set to protect against violations of the First Amendment.

The government on Thursday withdrew subpoenas that would have compelled three New York Times reporters to testify about their sources for articles about Air Force One.

The government has withdrawn subpoenas that would have compelled three New York Times reporters to testify about their sources for articles about President Donald Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet.