Pentagon Imposes New Media Restrictions Amid Legal Battle Over Press Access

The U.S. Defense Department has introduced new restrictions on journalists, requiring all media personnel to be escorted within the Pentagon and shutting down the long-standing “Correspondents’ Corridor.” In its place, officials plan to establish a new press workspace outside the main building. The move comes shortly after a federal court blocked an earlier press access policy that critics argued threatened journalists with being labeled security risks for pursuing unauthorized information.

Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell stated that while the department respects court orders, it disagrees with the ruling and is pursuing an appeal. The revised policy takes immediate effect, continuing efforts initiated under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. These measures allow authorities to revoke press credentials if journalists are deemed security risks, including for soliciting classified or certain unclassified information from military personnel.

Press freedom advocates and the Pentagon Press Association have strongly criticized the changes, calling them a violation of both the court’s ruling and constitutional protections. The dispute stems from a lawsuit led by The New York Times, which argued that previous restrictions enabled the Pentagon to limit access based on unfavorable coverage. The newspaper has indicated it will return to court, asserting that the latest policy still imposes unconstitutional limits on press freedom.

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