DOJ barred from searching Washington Post reporter’s seized devices

Published February 25, 2026 4:34pm ET



A federal judge has, for now, barred the Justice Department from searching the electronic devices of a Washington Post reporter that were seized by the FBI last month, ruling instead that the court will conduct its own review of the materials.

U.S. Magistrate Judge William Porter of Virginia wrote in a decision late Tuesday that the court “will conduct an independent judicial review of the seized materials,” rejecting the government’s request to allow a DOJ filter team to examine the devices for evidence tied to a classified-leaks investigation.

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