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Pentagon Turns Press Office into Classified Room, Bars Press
The change, driven partly by classified material concerns, will force reporters to seek appointments and limit routine contact with Pentagon spokespeople.
- On Monday, the Defense Department barred reporters from its press office, designating it a classified space as part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's push to "sharply curtailed access for the media."
- Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez stated the move was necessary because speechwriters in the office "routinely handle classified material." The office will be equipped with the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network .
- These restrictions follow a pattern: the Pentagon removed mainstream outlets last year and replaced them with right-leaning outlets like Breitbart; it also previously required reporters to sign pledges forbidding photography or sketching inside the building.
- Reporters now face increased difficulty interacting with Pentagon spokespeople, as the previously open room where officials met with the press is no longer accessible without an appointment.
- The New York Times sued the Defense Department in late 2025 over these policies, and a federal judge has twice rejected the Pentagon's press guidelines, ruling they violated the First Amendment.
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Our Opinion: Pentagon escalates war on the First Amendment
The Pentagon’s press office might not seem like a subject for a Berkshire County editorial board. However, a threat to journalistic freedom anywhere is a threat to that First Amendment-enshrined right everywhere, from national news outlets to community newspapers. And…
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Pentagon Restricts Press Office Access Over Privacy Concerns
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources188
Leaning Left38Leaning Right21Center88Last UpdatedBias Distribution60% Center
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
60% Center
L 26%
C 60%
14%
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