The Trump administration’s latest move to control media coverage of the military includes a new requirement that journalists sign a pledge not to publish unauthorized information, as reported by The New York Times. These new rules, announced by the Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense), could result in journalists losing their credentials to cover the military if they refuse to conform. In addition to this, there are also restrictions on the movements of journalists within the Pentagon, with certain areas off-limits without an escort.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth defended the rules by stating that the “press” does not run the Pentagon and that journalists must “wear a badge and follow the rules.” However, critics like the president of the National Press Club, Mike Balsamo, have denounced the changes as an attack on independent journalism and a threat to democracy. Media organizations such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Reuters news agency have all condemned the restrictions.
Legal experts argue that these new rules violate decades of US Supreme Court precedent affirming the right of the media to publish government secrets. According to Seth Stern, director of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, the law is also clear that the government cannot require people to contract away a constitutional right in exchange for a benefit like access to government buildings or press credentials. This policy is considered a prior restraint on publication, the most serious of First Amendment violations.
The restrictions by the Trump administration come after a series of moves to limit the media, including the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show after comments made about Charlie Kirk. FCC chair Brendan Carr has also signaled that further action to rein in voices critical of the administration could be taken. In an interview with Fox News, he stated that his agency would continue to hold broadcasters “accountable to the public interest” and that those who do not like it could “turn their license in.” Just a few days before Kimmel’s suspension, Trump had filed a $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times for defamation, joining similar suits against CBS News, ABC News, and The Wall Street Journal. However, a judge in Florida has thrown out the suit against The New York Times.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/22/trumps-pentagondemandsmedia-agree-not-to-reveal-unauthorised-material?traffic_source=rss
