Media outlets across the political spectrum in the United States have announced that they will not sign on to the Defense Department's new restrictive press policy by a deadline on Tuesday afternoon, setting off an open conflict between the Pentagon and leading news organizations, the Washington Post reported.
Among those who refused are The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Associated Press, Cable News Network, Newsmax and The Washington Times.
The policy prohibits reporters from requesting or receiving information that is not expressly authorized by the Defense Department. Anyone who does not sign by 5 p.m. Tuesday must return their credentials within 24 hours and leave the Pentagon building.
Matt Murray, executive editor of "The Post", said the measure violates constitutional guarantees of press freedom. Richard Stevenson of the "The New York Times" also expressed a similar position, emphasizing that the public has a right to know how the government and the military, funded by nearly $1 trillion a year, operate.
The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, Reuters and The Guardian also spoke out against signing, as did the specialized publications Task & Purpose and Breaking Defense. The only outlet to adopt the new policy is One America News Network, after legal advice.
The new policy is part of a broader initiative by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to restrict access to journalists. Under his leadership, the Pentagon has drastically reduced briefings, evicted key media outlets from their offices, and restricted their movement within the building.
Former Pentagon spokesman John Ulliott called on Hegseth to "remove Soviet-style restrictions" and restore traditional openness to the media.
For his part, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell defended the document, saying it did not require a signature, only an acknowledgement of the policy.
The Pentagon Press Association has hired a lawyer and is considering possible legal action. Hegseth responded to the criticism with an emoji of a waving hand in an X, hinting at saying goodbye to dissenting media.