The Pentagon vs. the Press
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's escalating crackdown on Pentagon press access — from requiring reporters to sign restrictive pledges in 2025, to closing the Correspondents' Corridor and mandating escorts in 2026 — has drawn a federal court ruling that the policy is unconstitutional. Over 30 major outlets forfeited their press credentials rather than comply. The New York Times sued in December 2025, and on March 20, 2026, Judge Paul Friedman ruled the policy violated the First and Fifth Amendments. The Pentagon then tried to reimpose restrictions under new rules; on April 9, 2026, the judge ruled the Pentagon was violating his court order.
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