The Atlantic & United States — United States Department of Justice

The Atlantic: The Atlantic published a report detailing Kash Patel's alleged misconduct, leading to a $250 million defamation lawsuit filed by Patel. The publication is defending its reporting and facing a potential criminal leak investigation.

United States — United States Department of Justice: The United States — United States Department of Justice is involved through the Acting Attorney General's defense of Kash Patel and the historical context of criminal leak investigations, which typically involve classified information.

The Atlantic: The Atlantic, specifically its editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, received and published the leaked war plans, bringing the incident to public attention. The magazine is also facing criticism and deflection attempts from the Trump administration.