Late Friday, Pete Hegseth announced new restrictions on press access within the Pentagon, significantly limiting areas that journalists had been able to enter freely under previous administrations. Reporters will now be barred from large sections of the building unless accompanied by a government escort, according to news agency AP. The restricted zones include Hegseth’s office, the offices of his senior aides, and the various media offices maintained by the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force.
Additionally, access to the offices of the Pentagon’s top military leaders—including that of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine—will now require Hegseth’s explicit approval and an escort from his staff. Traditionally, the Joint Chiefs’ office has upheld a cooperative relationship with the press.
ALSO READ: ‘They can’t add 2+2’: Trump’s controversial claims on Harvard students regarding remedial mathPress restrictions across PentagonIn a two-page memo issued by Hegseth, new restrictions were outlined that confine credentialed reporters to a designated area on a single floor of the building where the press office and media spaces are located. According to the memo, reporters must now request permission and be accompanied by an official to access any other part of the Pentagon, including areas near the Joint Chiefs and their press office.
Hegseth, the former Fox News Channel personality, issued his order via a posting on X late on a Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend. He said it was necessary for national security.”While the department remains committed to transparency, the department is equally obligated to protect (classified intelligence information) and sensitive information, the unauthorized disclosure of which could put the lives of US service members in danger,” wrote Hegseth.ALSO READ: Trump faces awkward moment as his Apple rant gets disturbed by repeated calls on own iPhone. Watch video
“There is no way to sugarcoat it. Today’s memo by Secretary Hegseth appears to be a direct attack on the freedom of the press and America’s right to know what its military is doing,” it said in a statement Friday night. “The Pentagon Press Association is extremely concerned by the decision to restrict movement of accredited journalists within the Pentagon through non-secured, unclassified hallways.”
The Pentagon Press Association has questioned the official reasoning behind recent access restrictions for journalists, suggesting the move aligns with a pattern of obstructive actions by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office.
Hegseth announced that reporters would now be required to sign a confidentiality agreement to safeguard sensitive information and would receive updated badges clearly identifying them as members of the press. It remains unclear whether signing the agreement will be mandatory for continued access to the Pentagon.
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Signal chat leak rowThe change follows a series of incidents that have drawn scrutiny. Two months ago, the department faced backlash over a leak to The New York Times suggesting billionaire Elon Musk was to be briefed on U.S. military contingency plans in the event of a conflict with China. President Donald Trump ultimately canceled the briefing, and Hegseth responded by suspending two Pentagon officials while launching an investigation into the leak.
Another controversy arose when The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was mistakenly added to a Signal group chat in which Hegseth discussed potential military operations in Yemen. Former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz took responsibility for the error and was reassigned shortly thereafter.
Since President Trump took office, his administration has taken an increasingly combative stance toward the media. This includes FCC inquiries into major networks such as ABC, CBS, and NBC, as well as restricted access for The Associated Press that has led to ongoing legal action.
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While the administration has expanded access for conservative outlets generally supportive of the president, a recent study found that Trump engaged with reporters more frequently in his first 100 days than any of his six predecessors.
In contrast, Hegseth has maintained a lower media profile, having yet to participate in a press briefing in the Pentagon’s designated media room. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell has conducted just one press briefing since January 20. Additional restrictions have also been imposed, including revoking office space for eight media organizations, among them The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and NBC.
(With inputs from agencies)