News
October 15, 2025
New York Times, AP, Newsmax among news outlets who say they won't sign new Pentagon rules
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's team has said that reporters who don't sign onto their new rules will be thrown out of the Pentagon on Wednesday if they don't agree.
**Major News Outlets Refuse to Sign New Pentagon Rules, Face Potential Expulsion**
A showdown is brewing between the Pentagon and some of the nation's leading news organizations, including The New York Times, the Associated Press, and Newsmax, over a new set of rules governing media access. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's team has issued a directive stating that reporters who do not agree to sign onto the new regulations will be barred from the Pentagon starting Wednesday.
The exact details of the new rules remain somewhat unclear, but sources indicate they involve stricter guidelines on reporting on military operations and potentially grant the Pentagon greater control over the content published by journalists covering the Department of Defense. The specific points of contention have not been publicly released by either the Pentagon or the news organizations involved, but the refusal to sign suggests significant concerns about journalistic independence and the public's right to know.
The New York Times, AP, and Newsmax, while representing different points on the political spectrum, appear united in their opposition to the new rules. Their collective stance highlights the breadth of concern within the media industry regarding potential restrictions on their ability to report freely and independently on matters of national security.
"We cannot compromise our journalistic integrity by agreeing to terms that could potentially hinder our ability to provide accurate and unbiased reporting," stated a spokesperson for one of the news outlets, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Pentagon has yet to publicly comment on the specific reasons behind the new regulations or address the concerns raised by the news organizations. However, the deadline for signing the agreement looms large, raising the possibility that prominent journalists from these major news outlets will be denied access to the Pentagon as early as Wednesday.
This situation presents a significant challenge to the relationship between the government and the press, raising fundamental questions about transparency, accountability, and the role of a free press in a democratic society. The outcome of this dispute could have far-reaching implications for how the military interacts with the media in the future and the public's access to information about defense matters.
A showdown is brewing between the Pentagon and some of the nation's leading news organizations, including The New York Times, the Associated Press, and Newsmax, over a new set of rules governing media access. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's team has issued a directive stating that reporters who do not agree to sign onto the new regulations will be barred from the Pentagon starting Wednesday.
The exact details of the new rules remain somewhat unclear, but sources indicate they involve stricter guidelines on reporting on military operations and potentially grant the Pentagon greater control over the content published by journalists covering the Department of Defense. The specific points of contention have not been publicly released by either the Pentagon or the news organizations involved, but the refusal to sign suggests significant concerns about journalistic independence and the public's right to know.
The New York Times, AP, and Newsmax, while representing different points on the political spectrum, appear united in their opposition to the new rules. Their collective stance highlights the breadth of concern within the media industry regarding potential restrictions on their ability to report freely and independently on matters of national security.
"We cannot compromise our journalistic integrity by agreeing to terms that could potentially hinder our ability to provide accurate and unbiased reporting," stated a spokesperson for one of the news outlets, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Pentagon has yet to publicly comment on the specific reasons behind the new regulations or address the concerns raised by the news organizations. However, the deadline for signing the agreement looms large, raising the possibility that prominent journalists from these major news outlets will be denied access to the Pentagon as early as Wednesday.
This situation presents a significant challenge to the relationship between the government and the press, raising fundamental questions about transparency, accountability, and the role of a free press in a democratic society. The outcome of this dispute could have far-reaching implications for how the military interacts with the media in the future and the public's access to information about defense matters.
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World