The Pentagon says it will require credentialed journalists at the military headquarters to sign a pledge to refrain from reporting information that has not been authorized for release — including unclassified information.
Journalists who don’t abide by the policy risk losing credentials that provide access to the Pentagon, under a 17-page memo distributed Friday that steps up the media restrictions imposed by the administration. “Information must be approved for public release by an appropriate authorizing official before it is released, even if it is unclassified,” the directive states. The signature form includes an array of security requirements for credentialed media at the Pentagon.
Advocates for press freedoms denounced the non-disclosure requirement as an assault on independent journalism. The new Pentagon restrictions come as the government expands threats and pressures on media, leading to concerns about the integrity of the news landscape.
“If the news about our military must first be approved by the government, then the public is no longer getting independent reporting. It is getting only what officials want them to see,” said an industry expert. This alarm has been echoed by various media organizations.
New Permissions and Restrictions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth highlighted the new media controls, indicating that there would be no more free movement for the press within the Pentagon. “The ‘press’ does not run the Pentagon — the people do. The press is no longer allowed to roam the halls of a secure facility,” he said. The Pentagon has previously evicted multiple news organizations and restricted access areas that were previously open to the press.
Early in Hegseth’s tenure, the Pentagon faced embarrassment after a media leak involved sensitive discussions that led to personnel changes. The Defense Department is now more vigilant in attempting to control information flow to the public, which has raised questions about transparency and accountability.
Media Outcry
The Society of Professional Journalists condemned the new policy, calling it “alarming” and indicative of government censorship. They stated that “attempts to silence the press under the guise of security” threaten the democratic norms and transparency that underpin the American governmental system.
Responses from high-profile media executives emphasized that any government attempt to control messaging is detrimental to the public interest, asserting the necessity for independent reporting to promote accountability among public officials.
