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| DefSec Pete Hegseth |
The Pentagon has imposed a new media policy requiring journalists to relocate to an external annex and be escorted inside the building, a move critics say violates a recent federal court ruling on press freedoms.
The policy, announced March 23, comes just days after U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman blocked earlier restrictions that barred reporting on information not officially approved for release, ruling they violated the First Amendment.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the Department of Defense is complying with the court order while appealing the decision, and described the changes as balancing transparency with national security.
The revised rules shut down the long-standing “Correspondents’ Corridor,” move journalists to a new workspace outside the main building, and require reporters to be escorted by Pentagon personnel.
Press freedom groups and news organizations, including The New York Times, argue the new policy still imposes unconstitutional limits and are preparing further legal challenges, accusing the Pentagon of defying the judge’s ruling.
In his decision, Friedman acknowledged national security concerns but emphasized that public access to diverse information about government actions is especially critical amid recent U.S. military activity abroad.