The White House [Reuters=Yonhap News file photo. Resale and DB prohibited]

It has been reported that the White House has established a "war room" to identify the source of a security-related information leak regarding U.S. President Donald Trump's new Air Force One.

CNN reported on the 15th (local time) that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and FBI Director Kash Patel have been personally overseeing the investigation into the leaks conducted at the White House.

Previously, it was reported that President Trump spoke directly with Director Patel to discuss the information leak after The New York Times (NYT) published a report on security issues concerning the new presidential aircraft.

Sources stated that Director Patel, who canceled a scheduled trip to Chicago to rush to the White House, set up a temporary command center, or "war room," in an office adjacent to Chief of Staff Wiles to take charge of the investigation process.

The investigation targeted federal government employees who accompanied President Trump on overseas visits or were involved in related assignments.

It is reported that the White House demanded that these individuals surrender their mobile phones.

A White House official stated, "Information leaks that threaten the safety of the President, his staff, and the accompanying press are a threat to national security," adding, "We will take all legally available measures to ensure that such incidents do not happen again."

Separately from the investigation into public officials, the Department of Justice issued subpoenas requiring the three NYT reporters who wrote the article to appear before a federal grand jury.

In response, the media community criticized the Department of Justice's issuance of the subpoenas as a measure that infringes upon the freedom of the press guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The New York Times filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on the same day, requesting that the DOJ's subpoenas be quashed.

The NYT stated in a release, "The Justice Department's subpoenas were issued in bad faith for the purpose of retaliation," and added, "We will fight in court to protect the right to cover the government freely and provide reporting to the public."

The NYT had reported that the new presidential aircraft, donated by Qatar, lacked certain missile defense systems, a claim that President Trump has denied. [Yonhap News]

U.S. President Donald Trump's new Air Force One [Reuters=Yonhap News file photo. Resale and DB prohibited]