Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the restrictions, saying access is a privilege, not a right|U.S. Secretary of War
Major news outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN, refused to sign a new Pentagon policy restricting journalists’ communication with military sources.
The Defense Department said reporters who don’t sign must surrender their press badges and vacate Pentagon offices by Wednesday.
The policy requires military personnel to seek approval before sharing information, even if it isn’t classified, and warns of consequences for unauthorized disclosures.
Press-rights groups criticized the move as a First Amendment violation that could silence whistleblowers and hinder reporting on government misconduct.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the restrictions, saying access is a privilege, not a right.
However, many organizations argue that the policy undermines decades of transparency and press freedom within the Pentagon.