By: Matthew Falletich
Photo Provided By: History.com
Last week, many media outlets, including Fox and ABC News, refused to accept a new press policy to gain access to Pentagon reporting, and have indicated that they will turn in their press badges and remove all of their belongings from the Pentagon by the end of the day.
This new ruling was announced in September, and media outlets will be required to sign an affidavit that will require them to “acknowledge” that they shall no longer report on any unauthorized—either classified or unclassified—documents, statements, and other materials to be allowed access into the building.
A large number of reporters turned in their press badges and removed their belongings from the Pentagon by the end of the day.
“Pentagon access is a privilege, not a right,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on social media.
Hegseth’s message was a response to mounting criticism of new Pentagon press policies that went into effect the following Tuesday, Oct. 14.
In a Monday statement, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell stated, “The policy does not ask for them to agree, just to acknowledge that they understand what our policy is. This has caused reporters to have a full-blown meltdown, crying victim online.”
The Pentagon Press Association, which represents the outlets that report on the Pentagon, said in a joint statement that the policy “is conveying an unprecedented message of intimidation to everyone within the DoD, warning against any unapproved interactions with the press and even suggesting it’s criminal to speak without express permission.”
Even reporting on anything outside of the direct comments from the Pentagon could be deemed by the Department of Defense as a security or safety risk, potentially resulting in charges under the Espionage Act.
As of Wednesday, Oct. 15, only one news organization has signed on to the new press policies—One America News Network.
