The FBI recently conducted a search of a Washington Post journalist’s residence as part of an investigation into the leak of sensitive documents related to President Trump’s attempts to downsize the federal government.

This search, initially covered by The New York Times and The Washington Post, took place at the home of reporter Hannah Natanson. Natanson has been covering the administration’s efforts to reduce the federal workforce and government expenditure during Trump’s second term.

The Washington Post confirmed the search to The Hill on Wednesday, stating that they are keeping an eye on the developments but chose not to offer additional comments.

According to The Post, Natanson was present during the search, during which the FBI confiscated two of her laptops, her cell phone, and a Garmin watch.

The search warrant revealed that the investigation is centered on a government system administrator from Maryland. This individual, who holds a top-secret security clearance, is suspected of taking classified intelligence documents home, which were discovered in his lunchbox and basement, as reported by the outlet.

In a statement on Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the search at Natanson’s home, saying she was “obtaining and reporting classified and illegally leaked information from a Pentagon contractor.” 

“The leaker is currently behind bars,” Bondi said. “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.” 

Some of Natanson’s colleagues at the Post voiced support for her, with Matt Viser, the newspaper’s White House bureau chief, calling her “a tireless reporter who has been the engine for countless must-read stories that have informed all of us.”

It is extremely rare for federal officers to conduct a search at the home of a journalist in the United States, even in cases regarding classified documents or national security.

However, the Trump team has previously sought to access journalist records. Under the first Trump administration, the Justice Department sought gag orders to block notification of reporters whose phone and email communications had been subpoenaed.

Those gag orders remained in place for the first few months of the Biden administration, which later notified CNN, The New York Times, and The Post of the subpoena. The Biden Justice Department then published new guidelines that largely barred search of journalist records.

In April, however, Attorney General Pam Bondi signed a new memo allowing the seizure of journalist records in leak investigations.

Natanson late last year published a first-person narrative laying out her experience in receiving information from frustrated government workers about Trump’s efforts to trim the size of the federal government.

“The stories came fast, the tips even faster,” she wrote. “I kept worrying: What if I got something wrong? What if I got someone in trouble?”

It is considered vitally important for professional journalists to protect sources when reporting on high-level security matters, and news outlets have routinely used extraordinary measures to conceal a source’s identity or connection to a sensitive topic when reporting on such issues. 

The Justice Department in the past has not pursued charges against journalists for obtaining classified records.

However, charges related to improperly retaining classified documents carry stiff penalties, both for those with clearances and anyone they share the records with.

President Trump previously faced charges for improperly retaining more than 300 documents with classified marking after he left office, though the Espionage Act charges were dropped once he was reelected.

The Post has faced scrutiny from the Trump administration over its reporting on intelligence matters in recent months. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard attacked reporter Ellen Nakashima in July over her coverage of ODNI, accusing her of “actively harassing,” staff at the department. 

Matt Murray, the Post’s executive editor, defended Nakashima at the time, reiterating the outlet’s commitment to “report on government officials and hold power to account, without fear or favor and regardless of party.”

A number of press freedom groups condemned the search on Wednesday. 

“Any search targeting a journalist warrants intense scrutiny because these kinds of searches can deter and impede reporting that is vital to our democracy,” said Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute. 

“Attorney General Bondi has weakened guidelines that were intended to protect the freedom of the press, but there are still important legal limits, including constitutional ones, on the government’s authority to use subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants to obtain information from journalists.” 

The White House, meanwhile, stood by the FBI’s search. 

“Leaking classified information puts America’s national security and the safety of our military heroes in serious jeopardy,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a statement on X. “President Trump has zero tolerance for it and will continue to aggressively crack down on these illegal acts moving forward.”

Updated at 11:07 a.m.