Overview

• A memo released Friday orders accredited reporters to obtain approval before publishing military information and to sign an affidavit pledging compliance, with violations risking revoked accreditation and loss of access to all U.S. military facilities.
• The requirements apply even to material that is not classified, including controlled unclassified information, effectively barring publication of details obtained outside official channels.
• Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell defended the rules as basic, sensible guidelines to protect sensitive information and national security.
• Major U.S. news organizations and the National Press Club condemned the move as undermining First Amendment protections, and press‑freedom group RSF warned of escalating pressure on journalists.
• Republican Rep. Don Bacon criticized the plan as bungling and backed a free press, while the memo’s reference to a "Department of War" reflects a renaming push that still requires congressional approval and follows earlier access curbs and office removals.