FBI Blocked From Examining Devices Taken From Washington Post Reporter
A federal judge has temporarily barred the FBI from accessing electronic devices seized from a Washington Post reporter’s Virginia home. The decision allows the reporter to review the case before any examination occurs.
Judge Orders Government to Pause
U.S. Magistrate Judge William B. Porter ruled that the government must preserve the materials but cannot review them. This includes the reporter’s cellphone, work and personal laptops, recorder, portable hard drive, and smartwatch.
“The government must preserve but must not review any of the materials seized under the court-issued warrants,” Porter wrote in his two-page ruling filed Wednesday in federal court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Motion by Reporter and Newspaper
The ruling followed a motion by the Post and reporter Hannah Natanson. They asked the FBI to return the seized devices. Porter agreed they had shown sufficient reason to maintain the status quo until the court can fully address the matter.
The government must respond by January 28. A hearing is scheduled for early next month.
First-of-Its-Kind Seizure
The Washington Post called the seizure “outrageous,” saying it chills reporting and causes daily harm by holding confidential materials.
Bruce D. Brown, president of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said this is the first time the U.S. government has searched a reporter’s home in a national security media leak case. He warned it could have long-term effects on public-interest reporting.
“The court must block the government from searching these materials until it addresses the First Amendment implications,” Brown said.
Context of the Investigation
The FBI searched Natanson’s home on January 14. The operation is tied to an investigation of Navy veteran Aurelio Perez-Lugones, a Maryland-based system administrator accused of illegally retaining classified materials.
Investigators told Natanson she is not the focus of the probe. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Defense Department requested the search because Natanson was reporting on classified material obtained from the contractor.
President Donald Trump also mentioned that the “leaker on Venezuela” is in custody, though he gave no further details.
Details on the Contractor
Perez-Lugones is accused of searching classified databases without authorization and either printing or taking screenshots. He has not been charged with leaking classified information. His lawyers have not responded to requests for comment, and it is unclear whether he has entered a plea.
Natanson has been covering stories about the Trump administration, including Elon Musk and workforce changes in the Department of Government Efficiency.
