Overview

• A 17-page memo tells credentialed journalists they must pledge not to publish information unless it is formally authorized for release, even when the material is unclassified or designated as controlled unclassified information.
• Reporters who refuse to sign or who violate the policy face suspension or revocation of Pentagon credentials, with the rules slated to roll out over the next two to three weeks.
• New access limits sharply curtail unescorted movement inside the building, requiring escorts for large areas that were previously open to the press.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the changes in a post on X, while chief spokesman Sean Parnell said the guidelines mirror standards on other military bases to protect national security.
• The National Press Club and the Society of Professional Journalists condemned the policy as unconstitutional prior restraint, the Pentagon Press Association is reviewing the directive, and lawmakers from both parties including Sen. Jack Reed and Rep. Don Bacon voiced objections.