Media Refuse To Sign Up As Propagandists For Trump's Pentagon

Nearly all media organizations refused to sign a censorship policy at the Pentagon that imposes greater control over credentialed reporters and the information that they publish. 

The policy, championed by Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth, was first proposed in mid-September. It resulted in an immediate backlash because the policy required reporters to pledge not to share any military information, including unclassified information, unless that information is officially approved for release. 

On October 6, the Pentagon revised the policy [PDF]. It changed to “military members” must seek approval from an “appropriate authorizing official” before releasing information to the press. However, the department added, “Any solicitation of [military] personnel to commit criminal acts would not be considered protected activity under the 1st Amendment.”

The Atlantic, Associated Press, Breaking Defense, CNN, Defense One, The Financial Times, The Guardian, The Hill, The New York Times, NPR, Newsmax, Politico, Reuters, Task & Purpose, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Examiner, The Washington Post, and The Washington Times all announced that they would not agree to the policy. (Media outlets had until 5 p.m. on October 14 or else they would likely lose access to the Pentagon.) 

“NPR will never be party to limitations on the independence of the press and the objective, fact-based reporting of our journalists,” NPR Editor-In-Chief Thomas Evans declared. “We will not sign the Administration's restrictive policy that asks reporters to undermine their commitment of providing trustworthy, independent journalism to the American public.”

“The new policy threatens that commitment by giving the Administration final say over what can and cannot be reported about our military and its actions. The role of a free press is to remain objective and share information not subject to influence. If reporting about the American military is pre-approved by the military, the public is not getting real reporting—it is getting only what officials want the public to see,” Evans added. 

Various media organizations also have objected to how the policy bars journalists from accessing numerous areas inside the Pentagon if they do not have an escort. These are not areas that reporters have historically been barred from entering. 

The Pentagon Press Association (PPA) stated on October 13, “This Wednesday, most Pentagon Press Association members seem likely to hand over their badges rather than acknowledge a policy that gags Pentagon employees and threatens retaliation against reporters who seek out information that has not been pre-approved for release.”

“Our members did nothing to create the disturbing situation. It arises from an entirely one-sided move by Pentagon officials apparently intent upon cutting the American public off from information they do not control and pre-approve—information concerning such issues as sexual assault in the military, conflicts of interest, corruption, or waste and fraud in billion-dollar programs.” 

Through their press release, the PPA sought to clarify that despite what Pentagon officials have said reporters do not go “into secret spaces” and obtain “classified documents.” Reporters have always been limited to “unclassified, open spaces.”

“The White House and State Department do not require reporters to sign any similar acknowledgment to obtain access to their buildings,” PPA emphasized. 

Mickey Osterreicher, the general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association, told Poynter that the Pentagon’s language blurs “the line between legitimate national security protections and unconstitutional prior restraint.” It treats “ordinary newsgathering—asking questions, cultivating sources, seeking tips—as if it were solicitation of unlawful disclosures. That framing isn’t supported by the law.”

This was a central part of the Espionage Act prosecution against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and through this policy, the alarming criminalization of newsgathering in that case is being streamlined by Hegseth and the Pentagon. 

Only one media organization agreed to the policy, the One America News (OAN). President Donald Trump is a fan of the right-wing outlet. OAN previously offered to provide their news reports to Voice of America for free, and the Trump administration accepted the offer. The network is full of people eager to act as state propagandists for the Trump administration.

As for the rest of the media, their editors and producers recognize what it would look like if they promised to be loyal and avoid publishing any unapproved information. 

NPR’s Tom Bowman wrote a column about his decision to hand in his media badge. “Did I as a reporter solicit information? Of course. It's called journalism: finding out what's really going on behind the scenes and not accepting wholesale what any government or administration says.”

Bowman shared, “Now, we're barely getting any information at all from the Pentagon. In the 10 months that the Trump administration has been in office, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has given just two briefings.”

“And there have been virtually no background briefings, which were common in the past whenever there has been military action anywhere in the world, as there has been with the recent bombings of Iran's nuclear facilities and of boats off the coast of Venezuela alleged to be carrying illicit drugs."

Previous administration would hold press briefings about twice a week, but this administration has open contempt for transparency and accountability. This contempt extends to imposing a media policy that blatantly undermines the constitutional right to freedom of the press. 

Yet in many ways, Hegseth and other officials are simply building on the rampant classification of information, limited and unpredictable access to officials, widespread workplace surveillance of employees or contractors, and the chilling of potential news media sources that has become commonplace at the Pentagon over the past two decades.