by ZeroHedge News Staff at ZeroHedge
A growing list of news organizations with access to Pentagon briefings have formally rejected a new Defense Department (or Dept of War) policy that would require journalists to sign a pledge promising not to seek unauthorized materials and limiting their access to certain areas unless accompanied by an official. In essence it’s part of the continuing crackdown on leaks.
But now there’s a full-on, very public revolt against the policy introduced last month by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has himself been thrust into the center of controversy since being named Pentagon chief due to the embarrassing Yemen group chat Signal episode earlier in the Trump administration.
Outlets have been told to sign the pledge by Tuesday at 5 pm or surrender their press credentials within 24 hours, after weeks ago the new policy was introduced.
Establishment media outlets have also been frustrated after long-accredited media outlets were forced to vacate their assigned Pentagon workspaces under what officials described as an “annual media rotation program” – which happened similarly at the White House where independent media, podcasters, and nontraditional media figures have been given access and sometimes even priority.
Among those which have made clear they are not signing the policy are The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, The Atlantic, Politico, The Hill, The Guardian, Reuters, the Associated Press, NPR, HuffPost, Breaking Defense, and others.
Conservative outlet Newsmax has also made clear it is not signing. “We believe the requirements are unnecessary and onerous and hope that the Pentagon with review the matter further,” Newsmax said in a statement. Notably, Fox News hasn’t revealed its stance.
Executive editor of The Washington Post, Matt Murray, wrote a scathing critique of the policy as a violation of freedoms guaranteed to the press as spelled out in the Constitution:…
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