News/Commentary

Only one media org agrees to Pentagon’s new press rules, Hegseth trolls the daylights out of the rest

October 14, 2025 | | Print Article

Media outlets are refusing to sign off on the Pentagon’s new press policy, which restricts access to certain areas without an escort and requires that reporters wear visible badges, balking at what they claim is an infringement on their First Amendment rights.

As of Monday, the Associated Press, The Atlantic, CNN, Newsmax, the New York Times, NPR, Reuters, and the Washington Post all said that their reporters would not sign a document that acknowledges the “common sense media procedures,” setting up a showdown with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth that will likely end up in the courts.

News organizations must sign the agreement by 5 p.m. on Tuesday or turn in their press credentials if they decline to adhere to the policy, which was announced by Hegseth earlier this year.

“Up until now, the press could wander all around the Pentagon with no oversight,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in May.

“Even outside of sensitive/classified areas. So moving forward, they’ll need an escort to access those areas. They still have access to the entire defense press office, the press secretary, and my office, as well as much of the rest of the building. These are pragmatic changes to protect operational security and ultimately bring the Pentagon in line with other government buildings,” Parnell added.

Media organizations rushed to portray themselves as persecuted victims, posting whiny, self-righteous statements to social media.

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“The proposed restrictions undercut First Amendment protections by placing unnecessary constraints on gathering and publishing information. We will continue to vigorously and fairly report on the policies and positions of the Pentagon and officials across the government,” the Washington Post’s Executive Editor Matt Murray said in a statement.

“The requirements violate our First Amendment rights, and the rights of Americans who seek to know how taxpayer-funded military resources and personnel are being deployed,” said The Atlantic’s Editor in Chief Jeffrey Goldberg, the pivotal figure in the “Signalgate” scam, a media op to force Hegseth out at the Pentagon that failed miserably.

Parnell reacted to the hysteria by explaining that the new policy merely establishes “common sense media procedures.”

“The policy does not ask for them to agree, just to acknowledge that they understand what our policy is,” he said. “This has caused reporters to have a full-blown meltdown, crying victim online. We stand by our policy because it’s what’s best for our troops and the national security of this country.”

The social media grandstanding was ruthlessly trolled by Hegseth, who responded by sharing their self-serving statements on X along with an emoji of clapping hands.

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Conservative outlet One America News Network (OANN) has no problem with the new policy,

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“Frankly I’m shocked these weren’t already the rules. It’s the PENTAGON!” @oann is happy to follow these reasonable conditions, grounded in care for our national security,” former GOP congressman and OANN host Matt Gaetz said in a post to X.

According to a report from CNN’s Brian Stelter, “Some news outlets are said to be contemplating legal action, but in the meantime, they’re publicly stating that the restrictions are, as Post executive editor Matt Murray said Monday, ‘unnecessary constraints on gathering and publishing information.’”

“Beyond their displeasure at no longer being permitted to solicit criminal acts, the Pentagon Press Association’s objection to our updated media policy is that we require journalists to simply acknowledge they understand our rules protecting information critical to operational and national security. To be clear, we are not asking for their agreement, only confirmation of their understanding of these policies. At the direction of the Pentagon Press Association, many journalists are refusing to acknowledge that they understand our clear policy,” Parnell said in an October 8 post to X.

Chris Donaldson
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