FBI Executes Search Warrant at Home of Washington Post Reporter in Classified Leak Inquiry

Federal agents have searched the Virginia home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson as part of an ongoing investigation into the suspected mishandling of classified information by a government contractor, according to court documents filed in U.S. District Court.

The operation occurred early on the morning of January 14, 2026, when Federal Bureau of Investigation agents served a search warrant at Natanson’s residence. During the search, agents seized her cell phone and a Garmin smartwatch, items identified in an FBI affidavit as potentially containing communications related to the alleged leak. The filing indicates that agents were authorized to collect electronic devices and digital storage media capable of storing messages, call logs, or location data.

The warrant stems from a separate probe into a Maryland-based system administrator employed by a federal contractor. Investigators believe the administrator removed classified reports from a secure facility and transported them off-site without authorization, an act that may violate federal statutes governing the protection of national defense information. The affidavit links the administrator to a series of digital transfers in which sensitive materials were allegedly transmitted outside approved channels.

Neither the affidavit nor publicly available documents specify any criminal allegation against Natanson, who has not been charged. The filing states that investigators are examining whether the contractor or any third parties shared restricted data with members of the media. Agents sought records that could reveal if electronic devices belonging to the reporter received files originating from the contractor’s work systems.

The Washington Post confirmed the search in a brief statement, noting that attorneys for the newspaper are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the warrant. The publication did not elaborate on whether Natanson had reported on classified topics connected to the contractor under investigation.

An FBI spokesperson declined to comment on the search or the broader inquiry, citing the agency’s policy of not discussing ongoing investigations. The Department of Justice has not responded to requests for information regarding the legal basis for the warrant, the status of the Maryland contractor, or potential charges that might be pursued.

Details contained in the affidavit describe a sequence of security alerts from the contractor’s internal monitoring systems. According to the document, administrators detected that an employee with privileged network access downloaded multiple classified summaries over a three-month period and copied them to removable media. Surveillance video allegedly captured the individual leaving a secured facility on several occasions while carrying unauthorized devices.

Investigators traced digital fingerprints from the contractor’s network to external IP addresses and, subsequently, to personal email accounts. One of those accounts showed exchanges with a number matching a phone registered to Natanson. The affidavit asserts that probable cause existed to believe the reporter’s phone and smartwatch could contain evidence of communication with the contractor, prompting the request for a warrant.

Legal experts note that law enforcement agencies must meet a high threshold to obtain a search warrant targeting a journalist’s property. Under the Justice Department’s guidelines for investigations involving members of the news media, prosecutors are required to seek approval from senior officials and demonstrate that less intrusive measures—such as subpoenas—would be unlikely to secure the necessary evidence. The affidavit indicates such approvals were granted, though it does not detail the internal deliberations.

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Publicly filed court papers do not reveal whether investigators recovered any classified material from Natanson’s devices. The documents also do not clarify whether authorities believe she intended to publish the information or merely received it. The warrant authorizes a forensic examination of the seized items to extract emails, encrypted messages, call histories, and application data.

The Maryland system administrator at the center of the leak allegations has not been publicly identified. No arrest records relating to the contractor were listed as of Wednesday afternoon, and it remains unclear whether the individual is cooperating with federal authorities. If charged, the administrator could face counts under the Espionage Act or other statutes governing unauthorized retention or transmission of classified defense information.

The investigation is being led by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, working in coordination with prosecutors from the Justice Department’s National Security Division. According to the affidavit, agents began tracking the suspected leak in October 2025 after the contractor’s internal security team alerted federal officials to unusual data movements within a classified network.

Search warrant returns, which list items taken by agents, are expected to be filed with the court in the coming weeks. Those filings may provide additional insight into whether investigators collected materials beyond the phone and smartwatch already disclosed.

As of Tuesday, neither Natanson nor representatives for her legal counsel had issued public statements on the matter. The Washington Post said the reporter continues to be employed by the paper, and editorial leadership declined to comment on her current assignment status.

Crédito da imagem: The Associated Press