Pentagon Adopts New Press Restrictions

The U.S. Defense Department announced late Monday it is imposing new restrictions on journalists at the Pentagon, including requiring escorts for all reporters and closing a long-standing indoor press workspace, despite a recent court ruling blocking earlier limits on media access.

The department said it would shut down the “Correspondents’ Corridor,” where journalists have worked for years, and replace it with a new workspace outside the main Pentagon building once it is ready. Under the revised policy, reporters will no longer have unescorted access inside the building.

SecDef Pete Hegseth

The move follows a federal judge’s decision on Friday to block a prior Pentagon policy that threatened journalists with being labeled security risks for seeking information not approved for public release. Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell said the agency would comply with the court order but disagrees with the ruling and is appealing it, adding the updated restrictions take effect immediately.

Press freedom advocates and media organizations quickly criticized the changes. The Pentagon Press Association called the new policy “a clear violation of the letter and spirit” of the court’s ruling and said it is consulting legal counsel. The New York Times, which filed the lawsuit leading to Friday’s decision, said the revised policy still imposes unconstitutional restrictions and plans to return to court.

The lawsuit challenged rules introduced in October 2025 that allowed the Pentagon to revoke journalists’ credentials if they sought information from unauthorized personnel, including some unclassified material. The government has defended the policy as necessary for national security.

According to the lawsuit, only one of the 56 outlets in the Pentagon Press Association agreed to sign acknowledgment of the earlier policy, while others who refused were forced to surrender their press credentials. Press freedom advocates argue the restrictions under President Donald Trump’s administration undermine free speech and limit access to critical government information.