WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 — The Pentagon press corps staged a mass walkout on Wednesday after refusing to comply with new Department of Defense reporting requirements introduced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The rules, unveiled earlier this week, require journalists to seek prior authorization before publishing any Pentagon-related information, including unclassified material.
Hegseth defended the policy on social media, declaring: “The press does not run the Pentagon—the people do. Wear a badge and follow the rules—or go home.”
Sweeping Restrictions
The new guidelines, spanning 21 pages compared to the previous one-page policy, mandate that reporters agree to expulsion if they publish unapproved information. Journalists could also be deemed “security or safety risks” and stripped of credentials for routine newsgathering.
Major outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, Reuters, Fox News, and the Associated Press have rejected the terms. The only U.S. outlet to sign on so far is One America News Network, alongside a handful of smaller or foreign publications.
Unified Press Response
In a rare show of solidarity, dozens of reporters packed up their Pentagon offices and turned in their badges together. One veteran correspondent from The Atlantic, who had covered the Pentagon since 2007, said: “It’s sad, but I’m also really proud of the press corps that we stuck together.”
Another reporter warned that without independent questioning, Pentagon communications risk becoming limited to “slick social media posts, orchestrated videos, and partisan interviews.”
Constitutional Concerns
Press freedom advocates argue the rules amount to a violation of First Amendment protections, effectively curtailing journalists’ ability to scrutinize the world’s most powerful military. Critics say the restrictions will leave the public reliant on official narratives rather than independent reporting.
A Shrinking Press Corps
With most major outlets refusing to comply, the Pentagon’s once-robust press corps has been reduced to a handful of smaller and ideologically aligned organizations. Observers warn that the loss of independent access could have long-term consequences for transparency and accountability in U.S. defense policy.
