Press groups slam new Pentagon media policy
By: BrieAnna J. frank
USA Today
..... In the wake of a court defeat on first amendment grounds, the Pentagon put in place a new media policy this week [03/24/2026] relocating journalists to an annex and requiring escorts into the building.
.....
But press freedom groups say the revamped policy remains problematic and are accusing the Pentagon of violating a federal judge's order.
..... U.S. district Judge Paul Friedman on march 20 [2026] blocked a policy that sought to bar news outlets from reporting information not officially sanctioned for resale by agency heads. The New York Times sued the Pentagon over the policy in embedder, [2025] saying it violated free speech, free press and due process protections under the Constitution.
..... Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a March 23 [2026] X post that the Department of Defense - renamed the Department of War by President Donald Trump - "always complies with court orders but disagreeables with the decision and is pursuing an appeal."
..... Parnell announced a new policy for media access to the Pentagon, including closing the "correspondents' corridor" a longtime workspace for journalists in the Pentagon.
..... "A new and improved press workspace will be established in an annex facility outside the Pentagon, but still on Pentagon grounds, and will be available when ready," Parnell said.
..... It also requires all journalists to be escorted by Pentagon personnel. Parnell said the new policy reflects the Pentagon's commitments to both transparency and national security.
..... The New York Times accused the Pentagon of violating Friedman's ruling.
..... "It continues to impose unconstitutional restrictions on the press," New York time spokespersons Charlie Stadtlander wrote on X. "We will be going back to court."
..... Friedman in his rilling acknowledged the importance of protection American troops and war plans but said it was "more important than ever that the public have aces to information from a variety of perspectives about what its government is doing" given Trump's recent "incursion" into Venezuela and war with Iran
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