US EditionPentagon blocks photographers from Hegseth’s briefings on the Iran war
The Pentagon barred independent photographers from briefings after March 2 photos of Secretary Hegseth were deemed unflattering, allowing only Defense Department staff photographers.
- Defense Department officials barred press photographers from the March 4 and March 10, 2026 Pentagon briefings on the Iran war, denying entry to those who attended the March 2 event.
- Photographers who covered a March 2, 2026 briefing said the Associated Press, Reuters and Getty Images captured images that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's staff later deemed unflattering after U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28.
- Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said limited briefing-room space allows one representative per outlet and official photos are released online, while credentialed mainstream outlets were replaced last year by a newly constituted press corps dominated by pro‑Trump outlets.
- Legal fallout has followed, with the National Press Club and National Press Photographers Association condemning the ban as a First Amendment concern while The New York Times sued and U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman questioned the rules last week.
- The Pentagon has not clarified whether the restriction on photographers is temporary, while media scholars and press‑freedom advocates warn this risks making Defense Department images the primary visual record of briefings amid Iran-related military operations.
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113 Articles
Stephen Colbert Roasts Pete Hegseth for Pentagon Photographer Ban: 'You Hate Your Own Stupid Face'
Stephen Colbert poked fun at Pete Hegseth after the secretary of war barred press photographers from the Pentagon for posting supposedly unflattering pictures of him. The comedian addressed Hegseth’s latest controversy during Thursday’s monologue for “The Late Show,” where he suggested the photographer ban may have more to do with the secretary of war’s “insecurities” than the photos themselves. “Pete Hegseth has a lot on his plate, but he’s kee…
The US Department of Defense has banned photographers from press conferences after "unflattering" photos of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were published, sources told the Washington Post.
Pentagon Barred Press Photographers After ‘Unflattering’ Pete Hegseth Photos
Photo Credit: Alex Wong | Getty Images After several photos of US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressing the press about the attack on Iran went viral on the internet, the Defense Department has issued a decree banning photographers from taking snapshots in the Pentagon’s press briefing room. Members of Hegseth’s staff reportedly also expressed their displeasure with how the federal official appeared in the said images, describing the pictures…
Pentagon bars photographers from briefings on Iran war | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
In its first briefing after the United States attacked Iran, the Pentagon welcomed photographers from news outlets including Bloomberg, The Associated Press, Getty Images, Reuters and more.
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