The US President Donald Trump’s administration has introduced stringent new rules governing journalistic access to military information, and central to the new policies is a requirement that reporters agree not to publish any material without prior official clearance, the Intercept reported.
According to a memo circulated among news organisations and reported by The New York Times, journalists covering the Pentagon must now sign a pledge committing to disclose only authorised content.
The guidelines emphasise that all information, regardless of classification status, must receive approval from designated Pentagon authorities before publication.
Additionally, the US Department of Defense, now rebranded as the Department of War, also warns of penalties for reporters attempting to acquire classified or sensitive but unclassified data without permission, and any conduct perceived as jeopardising security or disrupting operations may also lead to sanctions.
The new directives further restrict journalists’ movement inside the Pentagon, limiting access to certain areas unless accompanied by authorised escorts, the New York Times (NYT) reported.
‘Badge protocols’
“The media does not govern the Pentagon, the people do,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth declared in a statement on X.
“Reporters must adhere to badge protocols and regulations or forfeit their access.”
These developments have sparked widespread backlash from major media outlets. Critics argue that the restrictions undermine the press’s role in providing independent scrutiny of the military’s actions, which are funded by taxpayers.
An NYT spokesperson condemned the policy as “a direct challenge to the constitutional guarantee of a free press in a democracy”, stressing the vital role journalists play in uncovering and conveying truthful information without censorship.
Mike Balsamo, president of the US National Press Club, described the move as “a serious attack on independent journalism at the very institution where oversight is most crucial.” He warned that if military news is filtered through government approval first, the public receives only curated information, not objective reporting.
Criticism
The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and several other prominent news agencies have joined in denouncing the Pentagon’s new media controls.
Several current Pentagon officials, speaking anonymously, have also criticised the policy.
One defence insider told The Intercept that the restrictions mock American values and likened them to the press suppression tactics typical of authoritarian regimes.
Another official said the Pentagon’s desire to exercise editorial control over the press was more befitting of a “banana republic” than the United States.
A third official accused Secretary Hegseth of continuing a pattern of undermining military accountability.
