NEW, Oct 16: Dozens of Pentagon reporters gave up their press badges on Wednesday after refusing to accept new restrictions on their coverage, distancing journalists from direct access to the U.S. military’s headquarters, according to the Associated Press.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth introduced rules requiring reporters to seek approval for all information, classified or not, with violations punishable by expulsion, the AP reported.
Many journalists left together at a 4 p.m. deadline, clearing out years of work from their desks. “It’s sad, but I’m proud we stuck together,” said Nancy Youssef of The Atlantic, who has covered the Pentagon since 2007, according to the AP.
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News outlets, including major networks and newspapers, rejected the new policy, calling it an attempt to limit press freedom. They pledged to continue covering the Defense Department from outside its walls, the AP said.
President Donald Trump defended Hegseth’s policy, calling the media “very disruptive” and “dishonest” in comments at the White House. The AP noted that Trump has previously clashed with several major outlets, including CBS News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the AP itself.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has already tightened information flow since taking office. He has held only two formal briefings, restricted unescorted access to the Pentagon, and launched leak investigations, the AP said. He described the new policy as “common sense,” though reporters argue it effectively forces them to accept censorship, according to the AP.
Retired Army Gen. Jack Keane criticized the move, saying it reduces journalism to “spoon-fed” narratives. He told Fox News that when he served, he encouraged officers to view the press as a vital link between the military and the public, the AP reported.
Reporters say the new rules bar them from soliciting information from sources, a move that undermines their core work. “To agree not to solicit information is to agree not to be a journalist,” Youssef said, as quoted by the AP.
Several reporters posted online as they handed in their badges. Heather Mongilio of USNI News said she was proud to have covered the Navy from inside the Pentagon and promised, “The reporting will continue,” the AP reported.
Tom Bowman of NPR wrote that military officials have often shared information out of a sense of duty to the public, even when it contradicted official statements. Without reporters inside, he warned, the Pentagon may rely on “slick videos” and partisan media appearances instead of real scrutiny, according to the AP.
The Pentagon Press Association, representing 101 members from 56 outlets, opposed the restrictions. Most major media organizations, including Fox and Newsmax, refused to sign, leaving only One America News Network agreeing to the new terms, the AP said. Former OANN reporter Gabrielle Cuccia told the AP that the network likely saw compliance as a way to secure more access to Trump officials.
