On Friday, the Pentagon shared updated regulations for reporters working within its walls, imposing restrictions that limit journalists’ access to specific areas without prior approval or escorts. This change notably curtails interactions with military officials.
Now, reporters are confined to select corridors, primarily around the entrance and food court. Certain locations, particularly those related to the joint staff and the office of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, require official approval for access. Journalists cannot enter these areas freely, which some may find concerning.
Access to the Pentagon Athletic Center—the building’s gym—is also off-limits for reporters.
Hegseth asserted that while the department remains committed to transparency, it must also safeguard sensitive national intelligence information. He emphasized that careless disclosures could endanger the lives of U.S. service members.
He stated that the updated security protocols are essential to minimize potential risks of unauthorized information sharing.
Under Hegseth’s leadership, the Pentagon has been tightening policies around media access, including displacing eight media organizations from their designated workspaces to bring in outlets considered more favorable to the Trump administration.
In early February, the Department of Defense announced that outlets like NBC News, The New York Times, NPR, and Politico would lose their spaces.
Following inquiries into the decision-making process regarding the displaced organizations, the Pentagon revealed that four more publications would also vacate their desks, making way for CNN, The Washington Post, and several others.
This decision prompted the Pentagon Press Association to label the choice as “irrational.”
Shortly thereafter, on February 21, the Pentagon restricted access to the press conference room, allowing reporters only during official briefings. This move stirred controversy, as the room had been one of the few locations within the building where reporters could find Wi-Fi to submit their stories. Since Donald Trump took office, DOD officials have conducted just one on-camera briefing there.
Typically, reporters occupy spaces such as the Pentagon, White House, and State Department to engage with officials promptly and efficiently.
Moving forward, members of the Pentagon Press Corps will be required to complete a new national security briefing form. Additionally, a new press badge will be released in the coming weeks, featuring a more identifiable “press” designation, as detailed in the memo.
