A coalition of news outlets, including the conservative Newsmax, said they wouldn’t sign the Pentagon’s new document outlining new press rules.
The group, which includes the Washington Post, the Atlantic, Reuters, NPR, Newsmax, the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, the Associated Press, and the New York Times, argued that the new rules violate the First Amendment.
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“Journalists from the New York Times will not sign the Pentagon’s revised press pass policy, which threatens to punish them for ordinary news gathering protected by the First Amendment,” the New York Times’s statement read. “Since the policy was first announced, we have expressed concerns that it constrains how journalists can report on the U.S. military, which is funded by nearly $1 trillion in taxpayer dollars annually.”
“The public has a right to know how the government and military are operating,” it added.
“Reuters is bound by its commitment to accurate, impartial and independent news,” Reuters said in its statement. “We also steadfastly believe in the press protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution, the unrestricted flow of information and journalism that serves the public interest without fear or favor. The Pentagon’s new restrictions erode these fundamental values.”
Newsmax, a heavily Trump-favorable outlet, surprised many by releasing a statement in conjunction, voicing its disapproval of the policy.
“We are working in conjunction with other media outlets to resolve the situation. We believe the requirements are unnecessary and onerous and hope that the Pentagon will review the matter further,” its statement read.
NPR Editor-in-Chief Thomas Evans released one of the most forceful statements, saying the outlet “will never be party to limitations on the independence of the press and the objective, fact-based reporting of our journalists.”
“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.”
Among the stipulations of the new policy is a ban on reporters asking anyone in the Department of War for any information that hasn’t been approved for release. Reporters are also barred from accessing swathes of the Pentagon without an escort.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell argued that the policy simply established “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.”
WAR DEPARTMENT REVERSES COURSE ON MEDIA REPORTING RESTRICTIONS
War Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared committed to following through on the threat to take away the press passes of outlets that refused to follow the new policy, posting a waving emoji in response to the New York Times’s announcement.
Outlets have until 5 p.m. on Tuesday to sign the pledge.