A United States federal judge has barred government officials from examining electronic devices seized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation from a Washington Post journalist, pending the resolution of ongoing legal proceedings.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday by US Magistrate Judge William Porter, directed that materials taken from reporter Hannah Natanson must be preserved but not reviewed until the court grants further authorisation.
“The government must preserve but must not review any of the materials that law enforcement seized until the court authorises review by further order,” Judge Porter ruled.
Natanson, who covers the US federal government for The Washington Post, has reported extensively on job cuts in Washington following President Donald Trump’s return to office for a second term.
According to the newspaper, FBI agents seized Natanson’s work laptop during a raid on her Virginia residence on January 14, along with her personal laptop, mobile phone, and watch.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the search was linked to an investigation into an alleged leak from the Pentagon, amid tightened media restrictions since Trump assumed office.
Although FBI agents reportedly informed Natanson that she is not a target of the investigation, press freedom advocates have raised concerns that the action could set a dangerous precedent and have a chilling effect on journalism in the United States.
In a statement, The Washington Post condemned the seizure, warning that the confiscation of a reporter’s confidential newsgathering materials undermines free speech and press freedom.
The newspaper said it has asked the court to order the immediate return of all seized items and to bar their use, warning that anything short of that would normalise newsroom raids and legitimise censorship through search warrants.
