The Pentagon has unveiled a new lineup of its press corps, primarily consisting of conservative news outlets that are seen as supportive of US President Donald Trump’s administration. This development follows a decision by several major outlets to reject the Department of War’s revised media access policy.
The revised policy, introduced by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, has been met with resistance from journalists at major outlets, including The New York Times, the Associated Press, CNN, and the Washington Post. These outlets rejected the new policy and returned their press passes last week, citing concerns that it undercuts First Amendment protections and places unnecessary constraints on journalists.
According to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, over 60 reporters from a range of new media outlets and independent journalists have signed up to the new rules, joining 26 journalists from 18 outlets that previously worked at the Pentagon and also agreed to the policy. The new additions to the Pentagon press corps include right-leaning outlets such as the Gateway Pundit, the National Pulse, and Human Events.
The updated policy aims to prevent reporters from being deemed a “security or safety risk” if they solicit sensitive information from Pentagon employees for use in their reporting. Secretary Hegseth stated that the policy is intended to ensure that the press no longer has unchecked access to the Pentagon and that journalists are required to wear visible badges and refrain from soliciting criminal acts.
The Washington Post has expressed concerns that the new rules threaten to punish reporters for ordinary news gathering, while The New York Times argued that the policy undercuts First Amendment protections. In response, Parnell criticized the “self-righteous media” that chose to reject the new rules, stating that Americans have largely abandoned mainstream media in favor of alternative sources.
The development marks a significant shift in the composition of the Pentagon press corps, with conservative outlets gaining greater representation. The move is likely to have implications for the way the US military is covered in the media, as well as the relationship between the Pentagon and the press.
