FBI Raids Home of WaPo Reporter Over ‘Leaked Government Secrets’

In a move the newspaper itself is calling “highly unusual and aggressive,” the Federal Bureau of Investigation has raided the home of a The Washington Post reporter as part of an investigation into leaked government secrets.

The FBI executed a search warrant at the Virginia home of journalist Hannah Natanson, seizing her phone and even her Garmin watch, according to court records and published reports. The extraordinary step has immediately raised alarms across the media world about escalating pressure on reporters who cover national security and the federal government.

According to an affidavit tied to the warrant, the search of Natanson’s home is connected to a separate criminal investigation involving a Maryland system administrator, Aurelio Perez-Lugones. Prosecutors allege Perez-Lugones, a government contractor with top-secret clearance, unlawfully removed classified national defense information from his workplace.

Court documents say authorities previously searched Perez-Lugones’ home and discovered documents marked “SECRET,” including at least one allegedly hidden inside his lunchbox. He was charged earlier this month with unlawful retention of national defense information.

While investigations into mishandling classified material are not uncommon, media advocates say searching a reporter’s home marks a significant escalation — one that could have a chilling effect on investigative journalism.

The FBI, now led by Kash Patel, and the Justice Department under Attorney General Pam Bondi have not publicly commented on the raid. The Washington Post said it is reviewing the matter and closely monitoring developments.

Natanson is known for deeply sourced reporting on the Trump administration and federal agencies. She recently detailed how she cultivated hundreds of sources across government — a reputation that once earned her the nickname “the federal government whisperer” from a colleague.

Former Post executive editor Marty Baron did not mince words, calling the raid “a clear and appalling sign that this administration will set no limits on its acts of aggression against an independent press.”

The incident comes amid renewed tensions between the White House and the media. Donald Trump has long clashed with reporters, and critics say his confrontations with journalists — particularly female correspondents — have intensified in recent months.

In one recent exchange, Trump lashed out at a CNN reporter who questioned whether Iran takes his threats seriously, dismissing the inquiry as “a stupid question.” In other incidents, he has insulted reporters from ABC News, Bloomberg, and CBS News during on-the-record exchanges, drawing condemnation from press freedom groups.

With the FBI’s raid now in the spotlight, journalists and civil liberties advocates are warning that the line between investigating leaks and intimidating the press may be dangerously close to being crossed — raising urgent questions about how far the government is willing to go in pursuing its sources.