Washington, D.C. — Dozens of journalists who cover the U.S. Defense Department vacated their offices in the Pentagon and returned their credentials this week, refusing to comply with new access rules imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The Pentagon — long regarded as central to U.S. defense reporting — was eerily quiet as reporters packed up their workstations. The walls that once echoed with breaking news and background briefings were left bare. Only One America News Network (OAN) reportedly agreed to the new terms, remaining as the sole media outlet inside the building.
The Rule That Broke the Relationship
At the center of this historic walkout lies a new policy requiring journalists to agree not to “solicit or publish unauthorized information,” even if that information is unclassified. The rule also grants the Pentagon broad authority to revoke credentials from any reporter deemed to have violated those terms.
To reporters, that language struck at the very foundation of journalism. Asking questions, pursuing unverified leads, and uncovering truths the public has a right to know — these are not side activities of the press. They are the press.
“This isn’t about access. It’s about independence,” one longtime Pentagon correspondent told Reuters. “If we can’t ask uncomfortable questions or pursue off-the-record information, we’re not reporters — we’re stenographers.”
A Rare United Front
The backlash has united newsrooms across ideological lines — a rare moment in an increasingly fractured media landscape. At least 30 major media outlets —spanning left, center, and right—refused to sign the policy. These include Associated Press, Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, Fox News, ABC, CBS, NBC, Newsmax, Bloomberg, NPR, Politico, The Guardian, The Atlantic, AFP, and The Wall Street Journal.
The Pentagon, meanwhile, defends its decision as a matter of protocol and safety. Officials insist the new policy simply formalizes expectations already in place and is meant to prevent leaks of sensitive material.
But press advocates see it differently. “This is a red line,” said the Committee to Protect Journalists in a statement. “The right to gather and publish information independently — even when it makes the government uncomfortable — is not a privilege. It’s a constitutional guarantee.”
An Empty Room, a Louder Message
The exodus has left the Pentagon’s once-bustling press bullpen eerily quiet. Veteran correspondents — some of whom have reported from war zones and briefings since the early days of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars — describe the moment as surreal and sobering.
“It’s hard to imagine covering the Defense Department without walking these halls,” one journalist told The Guardian. “But if the choice is between access and integrity, the decision is clear.”
Without direct access, reporters say they’ll rely on alternative methods, such as encrypted communications, satellite briefings, and off-site interviews. The move is likely to slow reporting but could also force journalists to get more creative — and possibly more adversarial — in how they cover the military establishment.
Why This Moment Matters
The walkout is symbolic—not a mere standoff. In an era of tightened information control, it tests America’s commitment to press freedom. From social media crackdowns to leak prosecutions, the space for independent reporting on national security has been shrinking for years.
But never before has the Pentagon — the very institution that champions freedom abroad — faced an internal revolt over its treatment of the free press at home.
The Future of Pentagon Reporting
Whether this standoff ends in compromise or confrontation, the outcome will shape how Americans learn about their military — and who gets to tell that story. In the meantime, the message from the journalists who turned in their badges is unmistakable: Access without autonomy isn’t journalism.
This piece is reported by Maheen Mustafa, former director of Committee for Children, a social impact journalist, and founder of MTG—a Seattle-based media outlet and production house dedicated to elevating BIPOC and immigrant narratives through powerful storytelling. Follow her @MaheenM_.