RCFP pushes back against Pentagon policy restricting press access

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is pushing back against a new Pentagon policy that threatens to revoke press passes from journalists covering the Pentagon if they attempt to report information that officials haven’t pre-approved for release. 

Under the policy, journalists could be required to sign a document pledging that they will not gather or use any information that has not been formally authorized for release, even if it’s unclassified. The policy also restricts journalists’ movement within the Pentagon. Journalists who fail to comply with the policy risk losing their press credential. 

In a statement, Reporters Committee Vice President of Policy Gabe Rottman said: “In its current form, this dangerous new policy could be wielded to silence independent reporting in the public interest about the Pentagon and our national defense. At the most basic level, the First Amendment means that the government doesn’t get to decide what information a journalist can or can’t publish.”

The Reporters Committee also expressed concerns about the specifics of the new policy in a letter sent on Monday to the Pentagon’s chief spokesman. In the letter, the Reporters Committee highlights several ambiguities that make it difficult — if not impossible — for journalists to sign the Pentagon’s pledge. 

The letter asks the Pentagon to pause its implementation of the policy until all of its ambiguous terms are clarified in writing. It also requests a meeting with Pentagon officials to discuss the issues outlined in the letter.

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is the leading pro bono legal services provider for journalists and news organizations in the United States, offering direct legal representation, amicus curiae support, and other legal resources to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists. Stay up-to-date on our work by signing up for our newsletters and following us on Bluesky, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.