US Journalists Return Pentagon Passes in Protest of New Access Rules

October 16, 2025 – USA – 

In mid-October 2025, more than 30 news organizations pulled out of the Pentagon press pool, returning their press badges and vacating offices in response to newly imposed restrictions by the U.S. Department of Defense. The new policy, spearheaded by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, mandates that journalists acknowledge a detailed 21-page document setting limitations on their movement, questioning, and reporting practices within the Pentagon.

Under the new regime, reporters may forfeit their credentials if they solicit information deemed unauthorized, even if that information is unclassified. The Pentagon has framed the rules as essential for national security and has downplayed accusations of censorship, asserting that reporters are not being asked to agree but merely acknowledge their understanding of the policy. Meanwhile, media outlets warn that the restrictions could give the Pentagon undue control over what the public learns about defense matters.

Major U.S. media organizations, including Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and Fox News, refused to sign on to the policy. Some conservative outlets also joined in rejecting it, while One America News Network was among the few that accepted the terms. In protest, journalists cleared out their desks and media stations; newsrooms described the normally bustling press areas as eerily silent.

In their public statements, journalists decried the new policy as antithetical to free press principles. They argued that restricting their ability to pursue undisclosed yet newsworthy information undermines accountability in an institution funded and overseen by the public. The Pentagon Press Association likewise condemned the policy as a blow to transparency and civil liberties.

Looking ahead, many reporters say they will continue covering national defense from outside the Pentagon complex, relying on external sources and off-site reporting. Analysts and legal observers predict that the standoff may provoke constitutional challenges over press freedom and the government’s power to regulate media access.

Reference – 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/16/us-media-return-pentagon-passes-giving-up-access-after-new-rules-kick-in

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0ygg06pgko

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/13/defense-department-media-news-rules