US Media Unite in Refusing Pentagon’s New Press Guidelines

US Pentagon imposes utmost restrictions connected media coverage. Credit: David B. Gleason / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0

Several large media organizations, including The New York Times, Fox News, The Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse (AFP), person declined to judge a caller papers issued by the US Department of Defense outlining reporting rules for accredited journalists covering the Pentagon.

The papers reportedly requires credentialed reporters to get written authorization from the Department of Defense earlier requesting oregon publishing definite types of information. Outlets that bash not judge the guidelines hazard losing their Pentagon property credentials.

According to the Pentagon Press Association (PPA), the caller regulations “silence Pentagon employees” and endanger retaliation against journalists who question oregon people accusation without anterior approval. The PPA warned that the rules contradict halfway principles of property state and transparency.

Press outlets denounce Pentagon media restrictions

Major US networks, including ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News, released a associated statement connected societal media declaring that they “stand with virtually each different large outlets” successful refusing to judge the Pentagon’s caller rules.

“These restrictions bounds journalists’ quality to proceed informing the federation and the satellite connected captious issues of nationalist security,” the connection said.

The networks added that they “will proceed to screen the US military portion upholding the principles of a escaped and autarkic press.” Other salient outlets, including The Washington Post, Reuters, and adjacent blimpish networks similar Newsmax, besides declined to motion the agreement.

Strong reactions implicit Pentagon media restrictions from quality organizations

Reuters expressed “deep concern” implicit the Pentagon’s effort to restrict reporting.

“A escaped and autarkic property is indispensable to American democracy, ensuring transparency and accountability,” the bureau said successful a statement. “Any effort by the US authorities to bounds journalists’ quality to study undermines First Amendment protections and the escaped travel of accusation important to informed nationalist discourse.”

Reuters added that it remains committed to impartial, accurate, and autarkic sum of the Pentagon “in accordance with Thomson Reuters principles.”

The New York Times took a likewise steadfast stance:

“Asking autarkic journalists to taxable to specified restrictions runs antagonistic to law protections for a escaped property and represents an ongoing effort to suppress the public’s close to recognize what its authorities is doing.”

“This is different measurement successful a troubling signifier of restricting entree to however the subject operates with payer funds. Our journalists volition proceed to study profoundly and objectively.”

The Wall Street Journal called the determination “deeply troubling,” noting that the outlet is evaluating its implications for its reporting teams.

The Washington Post’s Executive Editor Matt Murray emphasized law concerns, stating:

“The Constitution protects the close to study connected the actions of democratically elected and appointed officials. Any authorities effort to power messaging oregon restrict entree is contrary to the First Amendment and the nationalist interest. The Washington Post volition proceed to prosecute close and just journalism successful that spirit.”

First amendment concerns: A law clash

At the bosom of the quality lies the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees state of speech, state of the press, and the close to clasp the authorities accountable.

Media and ineligible experts reason that the Pentagon’s caller requirements magnitude to anterior restraint, a signifier of censorship that prevents work earlier it occurs. Such restrictions person been repeatedly rejected by US courts arsenic unconstitutional.

The Pentagon Press Association warned that the caller model “creates unnecessary barriers to journalistic work” and “blurs the boundaries betwixt authorities officials’ responsibilities and journalists’ independence.”

By requiring pre-approval of information, critics accidental the Defense Department risks establishing a precedent that could widen to different agencies, eroding the longstanding rule of property autonomy successful matters of nationalist interest.

Pentagon and authorities response

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded to the backlash with a dismissive station connected X (formerly Twitter), sharing a azygous emoji—a waving hand—widely interpreted arsenic a sarcastic farewell to the departing media partners.

👋 https://t.co/wnTQiHJZyC

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) October 13, 2025

Officials wrong the Trump medication defended the policy, arguing that the restrictions are indispensable to “protect nationalist security,” and Secretary Hegseth reiterated that “access to the Pentagon is simply a privilege, not a right,” adding that accredited property members “are nary longer permitted to incite transgression acts.”

The Department of Defense has not yet indicated whether it volition revise oregon retreat the arguable papers pursuing the near-universal media boycott.