Pentagon press access policy rejected by most credentialed outlets

Washington — The Department of Defense this month imposed a new set of rules governing press access to the Pentagon that most credentialed news organizations refused to accept, saying the terms would curtail ordinary newsgathering and violate constitutional protections. Reporters who declined to acknowledge the policy were given a deadline to turn in badges and clear out Pentagon workspaces, and dozens of journalists handed in credentials and left the building this week.

The revised guidance requires reporters to acknowledge they will not obtain or publish information that has not been authorized for public release, restricts unescorted movement through many parts of the Pentagon, and warns that soliciting certain information from department employees could be treated as a security or safety risk. Pentagon officials say the measures are intended to protect sensitive information and curb illicit solicitations of classified material. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said, in public remarks and posts, that "Pentagon access is a privilege, not a right." A Pentagon spokesperson said the policy "simply requires journalists to acknowledge its terms" and described the provisions as...