News organizations including The New York Times, The Associated Press and the conservative Newsmax television network said Monday they will not sign a Defense Department document about its new press rules, making it likely the Trump administration will evict their reporters from the Pentagon.<\/p>\n
Those outlets say the policy threatens to punish them for routine news gathering protected by the First Amendment. The Washington Post, The Atlantic and Reuters on Monday also publicly joined the group that says it will not be signing. AP confirmed Monday afternoon that it would not sign. <\/p>\n
“Reuters is bound by its commitment to accurate, impartial and independent news,” the agency said in a statement. \u201cWe also steadfastly believe in the press protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution, the unrestricted flow of information and journalism that serves the public interest without fear or favor. The Pentagon\u2019s new restrictions erode these fundamental values.\u201d<\/p>\n
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reacted<\/a> by posting the Times’ statement on X and adding a hand-waving emoji. His team has said that reporters who don’t acknowledge the policy in writing by Tuesday must turn in badges admitting them to the Pentagon and clear out their workspaces the next day.<\/p>\n The new rules<\/a> bar journalist access to large swaths of the Pentagon without an escort and say Hegseth can revoke press access to reporters who ask anyone in the Defense Department for information \u2014 classified or otherwise \u2014 that he has not approved for release.<\/p>\n Newsmax, whose on-air journalists are generally supportive of President Donald Trump\u2019s administration, said that \u201cwe believe the requirements are unnecessary and onerous and hope that the Pentagon will review the matter further.\u201d<\/p>\n Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the rules establish \u201ccommon sense media procedures.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe policy does not ask for them to agree, just to acknowledge that they understand what our policy is,\u201d Parnell said. \u201cThis has caused reporters to have a full blown meltdown, crying victim online. We stand by our policy because it’s what’s best for our troops and the national security of this country.\u201d<\/p>\n Hegseth also reposted a question from a follower who asked, \u201cIs this because they can’t roam the Pentagon freely? Do they believe they deserve unrestricted access to a highly classified military installation under the First Amendment?\u201d<\/p>\n Hegseth answered, \u201cyes.\u201d Reporters say neither of those assertions is true.<\/p>\n Pentagon reporters say signing the statement amounts to admitting that reporting any information that hasn’t been government-approved is harming national security. \u201cThat’s simply not true,\u201d said David Schulz, director of Yale University’s Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic.<\/p>\n Journalists have said they’ve long worn badges and don’t access classified areas, nor do they report information that risks putting any Americans in harm’s way.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Pentagon certainly has the right to make its own policies, within the constraints of the law,\u201d the Pentagon Press Association said in a statement on Monday. \u201cThere is no need or justification, however, for it to require reporters to affirm their understanding of vague, likely unconstitutional policies as a precondition to reporting from Pentagon facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n Noting that taxpayers pay nearly $1 trillion annually to the U.S. military, Times Washington bureau chief Richard Stevenson said \u201cthe public has a right to know how the government and military are operating.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump has applied pressure on news organizations in several ways, with ABC News<\/a> and CBS News<\/a> settling lawsuits related to their coverage. Trump has also filed lawsuits against The New York Times<\/a> and Wall Street Journal<\/a> and moved to choke off funding for government-run services like the Voice of America<\/a> and Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty<\/a>.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n David Bauder writes about the media for the AP. Follow him at http:\/\/x.com\/dbauder<\/a> and https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/dbauder.bsky.social<\/a><\/p>\n