In highly unusual move, FBI searches Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson’s home, seizes devices 

Washington, D.C., January 14, 2025– Federal agents with the FBI have made a highly unusual move of searching the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson, and seizing her electronic devices, in a move that the Committee to Protect Journalists said ignores longstanding protections for journalists’ work material and media freedom more broadly.  

“This raid should disturb all Americans. The United States is at a critical juncture as the Trump administration continues to roll back civil liberties. Using the FBI—funded by American taxpayers—to seize a reporter’s electronic devices, including her official work laptop, is a blatant violation of journalistic protections and undermines the public’s right to know,” said CPJ U.S., Canada, and Caribbean Program Coordinator Katherine Jacobsen. “Without assurances that journalists can protect their reporting materials, accountability journalism will suffer a major setback, eroding yet another mechanism for government accountability.”

The Washington Post has reported, citing an FBI affidavit, that Natanson was not the target of the investigation, rather that the agency is investigating an individual with top security clearance accused of accessing and taking home classified intelligence reports.

While previous administrations have sought to subpoena journalists as part of leak investigations, it is exceedingly rare for this type of search and seizure activity to be carried out against a reporter, according to CPJ research. 

While there is no federal shield law that protects journalists’ unpublished reporting material, most federal courts in the United States have recognized some degree of protection for reporters’ unpublished material. 

Attorney General Pam Bondi last year rescinded her predecessor’s policies that protected journalists against subpoenas from the Justice Department, except in cases of national security, with the stated goal of punishing government employees who leak to media. 

CPJ’s email to the FBI for comment did not immediately receive a response. 

Bondi said in a post on X that the raid was conducted per the request of the Pentagon in relation to a leak investigation, stating that the leaker is currently “behind bars.”

“The Trump administration will not tolerate illegal leaks of classified information that, when reported, pose a grave risk to our Nation’s national security,” Bondi wrote.