The Trump administration is rolling out new rules that could change how the press covers the U.S. military — and journalists are pushing back hard.
In a memo released Friday, the Pentagon said news outlets must agree not to publish sensitive military information without prior government approval. Reporters who refuse could lose their Pentagon press credentials, effectively shutting them out of military coverage altogether.
Media watchdogs immediately called the move a serious blow to press freedom. “If news about our military must first be approved by the government, then the public is no longer getting independent reporting,” said National Press Club President Mike Balsamo. “It’s only getting what officials want them to see.”
When asked about the controversy outside the White House on Sunday, Trump brushed it off, saying, “No, I don’t think so. Nothing stops reporters.” He wasn’t directly asked about the new Pentagon rules.
A Big Shift at the Pentagon
The memo makes it clear: publishing, or even attempting to access, unauthorized information could mean losing access not just to Pentagon briefings, but to all U.S. military installations. That would severely limit coverage of everything from battlefield updates to disaster relief missions.
The Defense Department insists the changes are about national security, not censorship. “These are basic, common-sense guidelines,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said. “They’re about protecting sensitive information and the safety of everyone working here.”
Still, critics see the policy as part of a broader pattern. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — a former Fox News host and Trump loyalist — has already tightened access to the building, requiring escorts for journalists and even rotating out some established outlets from Pentagon office space.
Media Organizations Push Back
The backlash has been swift and bipartisan. Major outlets including Reuters, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal all condemned the restrictions:
Reuters warned the rules “undermine fundamental First Amendment protections.”
The New York Times called the policy “at stark odds” with a free press.
The Washington Post said the government is trying to “control messaging and curb access.”
The Wall Street Journal said it was “deeply disturbed” by the change.
Even some Republicans are skeptical. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, a retired Air Force general, posted on X: “A free press makes our country better. This sounds like more amateur hour.”
Bigger Picture
Trump has long clashed with the media, frequently accusing major outlets of bias. This new Pentagon policy adds to a growing list of restrictions that critics say are designed to limit independent coverage of the military.
For now, reporters at the Pentagon — more than two dozen organizations — face a stark choice: agree to the rules or risk being cut off from covering the U.S. military at all. Photo by DoD photo by Master Sgt. Ken Hammond, U.S. Air Force, Wikimedia commons.
