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FBI searches Washington Post journalist's home in classified documents investigation


FILE - A person walks into the One Franklin Square Building, home of The Washington Post newspaper, June 21, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

The FBI searched a Washington Post reporter's home as part of an investigation into a government contractor who's accused of taking home classified reports, the outlet reported.

In the last week, at the request of the Department of War, the Department of Justice and FBI executed a search warrant at the home of the journalist who was, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi, "obtaining and reporting classified and illegally leaked information from a Pentagon contractor."

Bondi said the "leaker" is currently behind bars.

"I am proud to work alongside Secretary Hegseth on this effort. The Trump Administration will not tolerate illegal leaks of classified information that, when reported, pose a grave risk to our Nation’s national security and the brave men and women who are serving our country," Bondi wrote on X.

FBI Director Kash Patel also posted on X, writing that the agency would have no further comment on the matter.

The Post said the FBI searched journalist Hannah Natanson's devices and seized a Garmin watch and phone at her Virginia home on Wednesday. Natanson covers the Trump administration's government transformation, recently publishing an article describing how she grew her contact base to hundreds of new sources.

An affidavit for the search states that it was related to an investigation into a system administrator in Maryland, who officials allege took home classified reports, the Post reported.

Aurelio Perez-Lugones, who held a top-secret security clearance, was charged earlier this month with unlawful retention of national defense information, court documents revealed. In a search of Perez-Lugones' home and car, officials found documents marked "Secret," including one in a lunchbox.

The Post said it is monitoring and reviewing the situation.

In April, Bondi issued new guidelines on how it would respond to news leaks, saying prosecutors would again have the authority to use subpoenas, court orders and search warrants to find government officials who make "unauthorized disclosures" to journalists.

Bondi's new guidelines rescinded a Biden administration policy that protected journalists from having their phone records secretly seized during leak investigations.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.