Pentagon tightens journalist access following recent court ruling

Pentagon – (Web Desk) – On Monday, the Pentagon made it harder for journalists to cover the U.S. military. This happened just days after a court said last year’s changes to press access were unconstitutional.

The move is part of a series of actions by President Donald Trump and top officials against media outlets often labeled “fake news” when their reporting was not welcomed.

Last Friday, a federal judge ruled that the Defense Department’s changes, which had removed accreditation from several major media outlets, violated the Constitution.

In response, the Pentagon announced stricter rules. The Correspondents’ Corridor, a space for journalists, will now be closed. All reporters will need to be escorted by authorized personnel to enter the Pentagon.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the changes are for security reasons and added that the department plans to appeal the court decision. He confirmed on X that the closure is effective immediately.

A new press workspace will be set up “in an annex facility outside the Pentagon, but still on Pentagon grounds,” Parnell said.

The National Press Club said the new policy makes it harder for reporters to do their jobs. “Closing the Correspondents’ Corridor and requiring escorts undermines independent reporting at a time the public needs clear, unfiltered information,” said National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr.

Last year, the Pentagon had asked eight media organizations—including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, NBC, and NPR—to leave their office spaces. The department said this was to make room for other outlets, mostly conservative.

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Journalists must also be escorted if they go outside certain areas of the Pentagon. Some media, including The Times, Fox News, AFP, and AP, refused to sign the new rules, which led to their Pentagon credentials being revoked.