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The New York Times is facing renewed criticism over its coverage of the 2016 Trump-Russia probe, following allegations by conservative media outlet Just the News that the newspaper ignored documented evidence of federal surveillance against campaign affiliates.
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Just the News has challenged a recent New York Times article that characterized Donald Trump’s claims of Obama-era surveillance abuses as being made "without evidence."
The outlet countered the Times by pointing to a 2019 U.S. Justice Department inspector general report and the criminal conviction of former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who pled guilty to altering an email used to secure a campaign surveillance warrant.
The outlet also highlighted the Justice Department's $1.25 million settlement in April 2026 with former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page over unlawful wiretaps.
"No American should ever face covert and unlawful surveillance based on their political views," a Justice Department spokesperson stated at the time of the Page settlement.
Additionally, Just the News cited Special Counsel John Durham's 2023 report, which concluded that "neither U.S. law enforcement nor the Intelligence Community appears to have possessed any actual evidence of collusion in their holdings at the commencement of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation." Crossfire Hurricane was the official code name for the counterintelligence investigation launched by the FBI in July 2016.
When reached for comment, The New York Times defended its coverage, stating that its "reporting on the challenges to reauthorize Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702 presents readers with a clear and factual picture."
FISA Section 702 is a U.S. federal law that permits intelligence agencies to conduct warrantless surveillance on foreign targets outside the United States, a process that can incidentally collect the communications of Americans.
The New York Times has repeatedly defended its Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting on the Trump-Russia investigation. However, Donald Trump has since filed a lawsuit against the Pulitzer Prize Board over its decision to uphold the awards.
Established in 1917 by Joseph Pulitzer, the Pulitzer Prize is considered among the highest honors in U.S. journalism, recognizing excellence across reporting, literature, drama, and music.
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