Several of America’s most prominent news organisations — from The Washington Post to Newsmax — are refusing to sign new Pentagon rules they say would muzzle journalists and violate constitutional press freedoms.
The guidelines, introduced through a Defense Department memo in September, would require reporters to pledge not to publish “unauthorised material,” including certain unclassified documents, as a condition for keeping Pentagon press credentials.
After widespread criticism, officials softened the requirement last week, saying journalists only need to “acknowledge” the rules. But that revision has done little to calm backlash from media groups who argue the policy still threatens independent reporting.
Major outlets — including NPR, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters, CNN, and the Associated Press — have all publicly rejected the new terms. They argue the policy undermines protections guaranteed by the First Amendment and contradicts the spirit of a landmark 1971 Supreme Court ruling that upheld the media’s right to publish classified material — the New York Times Co. v. United States case during the Vietnam War.
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“The proposed restrictions undercut First Amendment protections by placing unnecessary constraints on gathering and publishing information,” said Matt Murray, executive editor of The Washington Post, in a statement on X. “We will continue to vigorously and fairly report on the Pentagon and across government.”
Even conservative outlets such as The Washington Times and Newsmax — typically more sympathetic to the current administration — have joined the resistance, describing the new requirements as “unnecessary and onerous.”
The Pentagon Press Association, which represents defence reporters, said the department cannot make “unconstitutional policies a precondition” for press access. The group earlier warned that the rules appear designed to “stifle a free press” and could expose journalists to prosecution for doing their jobs.
The guidelines have been championed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host appointed by President Donald Trump in January. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell defended the policy, saying negotiations with the press corps were held in “good faith,” and stressing that “soliciting service members or civilians to commit crimes is strictly prohibited.”