US Won't Force Journalists To Reveal Sources: Officials

The new policy comes following revelations that former president Donald Trump's Justice Department secretly obtained phone records of journalists investigating his administration, inducing from CNN, the Washington Post and New York Times.

The US government pledged Monday to steer clear of legal orders that force journalists to reveal their sources, with only rare exceptions, reversing course after revelations of secret efforts to obtain information from the media. A statement from the agency said it would no longer use the "compulsory legal process" including subpoenas or warrants to obtain records or identify sources from journalists involved in newsgathering activities. The new policy comes following revelations that former president Donald Trump's Justice Department secretly obtained phone records of journalists investigating his administration, inducing from CNN, the Washington Post and New York Times. The statement said the policy shift was made "because a free and independent press is vital to the functioning of our democracy."