Media ranging from Atlantic To CNN To Newsmax have so far stated that they do not plan to sign a new agreement for their correspondents Pentagon press policy, arguing that it is trying to jeopardize access to the complex unless reporters agree to restrictions on how they typically do their jobs.
The New York Times and The Washington Post also said they would not sign the agreement.
A Newsmax spokesman said Monday: “Newsmax has no plans to sign the letter. We are working with other media outlets to resolve the situation. We believe the requirements are unnecessary and burdensome and hope the Pentagon will look into this matter further.”
A CNN spokesperson said: “We will not be abdicated from our responsibility to hold all three fairly and fully accountable, and we will continue to report on the actions and decision-making processes of the US government without fear or favor.”
Last month, the Pentagon unveiled a new policy that requires information “to be approved for public release by an appropriate authorized official before it is released, even if it is not classified.” The risk for news organizations that signed it was that their reporters could lose their credentials to access the complex.
Groups of journalists consulted with Pentagon press officials about the policy changes, but even after the amendments were made, they still found them too restrictive.
Last week, the Pentagon Press Association said the policy still “leaves open the threat Ministry of Defense revoke the authority of reporters to exercise their First Amendment rights by seeking information that has not been previously approved for official publication, even if that information is completely unclassified.”
The Press Association said the policy also “conveys an unprecedented message of intimidation to everyone in the Department of Defense, warning against unauthorized interaction with the press and even suggesting that it is criminal to speak without express permission, which it clearly is not.” Some journalists argued that activities such as posting a call for advice on social media were against the rules.
Richard Stevenson, Washington bureau chief of The New York Times, said the policy threatens to punish journalists “for routine newsgathering protected by the First Amendment.
Some media outlets such as CBS News, NBC News and Fox Newshave not yet said whether their reporters will sign off on the policy.
According to The Washington Post, One America News Network is a signatory to the agreement.
During the day on Monday, as the signing deadline approached, the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded to news outlets who said he refused to sign bye-bye emojis.
He wrote: “Access to the Pentagon is a privilege, not a right. @DeptofWar press certification FOR BABIES: The press no longer roams freely. The press must wear a visible badge. The accredited press is no longer allowed to incite criminal acts. MADE. The Pentagon now has the same rules as any US military base.”
But Pentagon veterans said Hegseth is wrong because the press is already hanging out the badges. nor did they have access to areas such as secret rooms.
Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, and Sean Tandon, president of the State Department Correspondents' Association, said in a joint statement: “Access inside the Pentagon has never been about convenience for reporters. The public has a right to know how the government conducts the affairs of the people. Unfettered reporting on the U.S. military and its civilian leadership provides a service.” to those in uniform, veterans, their families and all Americans.”
