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House votes to subpoena journalist over report on Delta Force commander

The Washington Post · Scott Nover and Kadia Goba · last updated

A House committee member accused Seth Harp of “leaking classified intel” after he posted a photograph of a person he identified as the commander of the elite unit responsible for the Venezuela operation. Harp and press advocates say he was simply exercising his First Amendment rights.

A House Oversight Committee vote to subpoena journalist Seth Harp over his reporting on the U.S. military operation in Venezuela has raised concerns among press freedom watchers, who say the action disregards First Amendment guarantees.

On Sunday, the day after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Harp shared on X a photograph and biography of a military officer he identified as the commander of the Army’s elite Delta Force unit, which played a central role in the Caracas operation. Harp later wrote on X that the social media site locked his account until he deleted the post.

Related Knowledge Center: Free speech and public protest

State of Play

The First Amendment is facing challenging times: Crackdowns on campus protests prompted both-sides claims of intolerance. Attempts to head off dangerous health misinformation have been characterized as violations of free speech. Donald Trump is publicly punishing news outlets that deviate from his administration’s version of events while privately suing some outlets into submission.

The White House vs. the press  |  Voiceless America 


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