Overview

• The new guidance requires a responsible official to approve information before publication, including material that is not classified.
• Reporters must sign an affidavit agreeing to the rules or risk loss of Pentagon accreditation.
• The restrictions extend to both classified data and controlled unclassified information, curbing use of internal details from unnamed officials.
• Access rules now bar unaccompanied roaming in secure facilities, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth telling reporters to wear badges, follow rules, or leave.
• The Pentagon defends the move as supporting transparency and public trust, while the National Press Club and the New York Times condemn it and press-rights groups cite a worsening climate for journalists in the U.S.