Dozens of reporters turned in access badges and exited the Pentagon on Wednesday rather than agree to restrictions on their work imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration, pushing journalists who cover the American military further from the seat of its power.
News outlets were nearly unanimous in rejecting new rules imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that would leave journalists vulnerable to expulsion if they sought to report on information — classified or otherwise — that had not been approved by Hegseth for release.
The nation’s leadership called the new rules “common sense” to help regulate a “very disruptive” press.
It is unclear what practical impact the new rules will have, though news organizations vowed they’d continue robust coverage of the military no matter the vantage point.
