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Washington: Almost all reporters based at the Pentagon have packed their belongings and walked out of the building after the Department of War cancelled their passes for refusing to sign up to new conditions that media outlets have described as censorious, anti-democratic and “disturbing”.
The unprecedented display follows several weeks of discussions between the Pentagon and media organisations over the new policy, which, among other things, says journalists cannot solicit information that officials have not authorised for public release.
Members of the Pentagon press corps leave the building, carrying their belongings on Wednesday afternoon.Credit: AP
Almost every news organisation across the political spectrum refused to accept the conditions, including News Corp’s Fox News, the conservative channel Newsmax, major newspapers and TV networks, and newswires such as AP, Reuters and AFP.
At least one outlet – the right-wing One America News Network – agreed to the terms.
“Today, the defence department confiscated the badges of the Pentagon reporters from virtually every major media organisation in America,” the Pentagon Press Association said in a statement.
“It did this because reporters would not sign on to a new media policy over its implicit threat of criminalising national security reporting and exposing those who sign it to potential prosecution.”
Almost every media organisation refused to sign on to the Pentagon’s new policy for journalists based at the building.Credit: AP
The group said its members would continue to cover military affairs from outside the building. “But make no mistake, this is a dark day for press freedom that raises concerns about a weakening US commitment to transparency in governance, to public accountability at the Pentagon and to free speech for all.”
Tara Copp, a Pentagon reporter for The Washington Post, was among those who walked out of the building on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) in what she said was a defence of the First Amendment, the right to free speech.
“It’s an unprecedented attack on the public’s right to know and the end of one of the most professional press relationships in [Washington] DC,” she said.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor, and President Donald Trump both defended the new policy during a news conference the previous day.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon was “proud” of the new policy and would stand by it in the face of a media revolt.Credit: AP
Hegseth said the policy was reasonable because Pentagon access was a privilege, not a right, and accredited journalists would “no longer [be] permitted to solicit criminal acts” by seeking controlled information.
“It’s common-sense stuff,” he said. “We’re trying to make sure national security is respected, and we’re proud of the policy.”
Hegseth focused on changes to building access, wrongly claiming that journalists were previously allowed to go “pretty much anywhere” inside the department’s headquarters without a press badge.
But the media outlets and the Pentagon Press Association made clear it was the new restrictions on reporting and seeking information that led them to refuse to sign on and thus relinquish their access.
Trump backed Hegseth, saying, “I think he finds the press to be very disruptive in terms of world peace and maybe security for our nation. The press is very dishonest.
He added: “When it comes to war … It bothers me to have soldiers and even high-ranking generals walking around with you guys on their sleeve because they can make a mistake and a mistake can be tragic.”
More to come
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