New York Times, AP, Newsmax among news outlets who say they won’t sign new Pentagon rules

By DAVID BAUDER News organizations including The New York Times The Associated Press and the conservative Newsmax television system announced Monday they will not sign a Defense Department document about its new press rules making it likely the Trump administration will evict their reporters from the Pentagon Related Articles California governor signs controversial bill letting relatives care for kids if parents are deported Venezuela says US navy raided a tuna boat in the Caribbean as tensions rise North Carolina GOP announce plans to vote on new House map amid nationwide redistricting battle Her husband was deported to Mexico Unwilling to remain apart she left the US to join him M lawfully present immigrants could lose subsidized soundness coverage Those outlets say the strategy threatens to punish them for routine news gathering protected by the First Amendment The Washington Post and The Atlantic on Monday also publicly joined the group that says it will not be signing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reacted by posting the Times comment on X and adding a hand-waving emoji His gang has disclosed that reporters who don t acknowledge the procedures in writing by Tuesday must turn in badges admitting them to the Pentagon and clear out their workspaces the next day The new rules bar journalist access to large swaths of the Pentagon without an escort and say Hegseth can revoke press access to reporters who ask anyone in the Defense Department for information classified or otherwise that he has not approved for release Newsmax whose on-air journalists are generally supportive of President Donald Trump s administration stated that we believe the requirements are unnecessary and onerous and hope that the Pentagon will review the matter further Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell disclosed the rules establish common sense media procedures The approach does not ask for them to agree just to acknowledge that they understand what our guidelines is Parnell reported This has caused reporters to have a full blown meltdown crying victim online We stand by our guidelines because it s what s best for our troops and the national precaution of this country Hegseth also reposted a question from a follower who requested Is this because they can t roam the Pentagon freely Do they believe they deserve unrestricted access to a highly classified military installation under the First Amendment Hegseth answered yes Reporters say neither of those assertions is true Pentagon reporters say signing the message amounts to admitting that reporting any information that hasn t been government-approved is harming national protection That s entirely not true disclosed David Schulz director of Yale University s Media Freedom Information Access Clinic Journalists have stated they ve long worn badges and don t access classified areas nor do they document information that risks putting any Americans in harm s way The Pentagon certainly has the right to make its own policies within the constraints of the law the Pentagon Press Association disclosed in a message on Monday There is no need or justification however for it to require reporters to affirm their understanding of vague likely unconstitutional policies as a precondition to reporting from Pentagon facilities Noting that taxpayers pay nearly trillion annually to the U S military Times Washington bureau chief Richard Stevenson declared the society has a right to know how the leadership and military are operating Trump has applied pressure on news organizations in several procedures with ABC News and CBS News settling lawsuits related to their coverage Trump has also filed lawsuits against The New York Times and Wall Street Journal and moved to choke off funding for government-run services like the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty David Bauder writes about the media for the AP Follow him at http x com dbauder and https bsky app profile dbauder bsky social