Latest news with #PentagonPressAssociation
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pete Hegseth slammed for ‘direct attack' against military reporters: ‘Never seen anything like this'
Donald Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing intense criticism from military reporters after his office announced extra restrictions to media access at the Pentagon. The Pentagon Press Association — which represents reporters covering the Department of Defense — said in a statement that the move was 'a direct attack on the freedom of the press and America's right to know what its military is doing.' Hegseth — a former Fox News host — announced additional credentialing procedures would soon be implemented for the press at the Pentagon 'in the interest of national security.' Those new measures include making key parts of the Pentagon off-limits to journalists unless they have an official escort. The notice also said additional security measures and enhanced scrutiny of press members are incoming. Top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on X that the changes were 'pragmatic' to protect operational security. But the press association pointed out that journalists have had access to 'non-secured, unclassified spaces in the Pentagon for decades' under both Republican and Democratic administrations, including in the aftermath of 9/11, when hijackers crashed a plane into the building, killing all 64 people onboard and 125 inside the Pentagon. The Washington Post's military correspondent Dan Lamothe was among reporters shocked by Hegseth's announcement. ''The most transparent DoD in U.S. history,' as [Hegesth] and his team calls itself, cracks down on media access again,' he wrote. 'I've been on this beat 17 years through numerous administrations,' he said. 'Never seen anything like this. One briefing all year. None again this week.' Hegseth has not personally delivered a briefing in his first 100 days. Parnell has only given one. The secretary's memo also states that 'while the department remains committed to transparency, the department is equally obligated to protect [classified intelligence] and sensitive information, the unauthorized disclosure of which could put the lives of U.S. service members in danger.' Hegseth continues to face intense scrutiny after sharing operational details about military strikes in a group on the messaging app Signal, which inadvertently included a journalist. The new measures announced by Hegseth and his team follow ongoing efforts throughout the Trump administration to reduce access to adversarial reporters and promote 'new media' — including outlets more sympathetic to the president and his administration. Shortly after Hegseth assumed the role of Defense Secretary, several major outlets including NBC and The New York Times were evicted from their workspaces at the Pentagon as part of a so-called 'media rotation program.' The press association said it was 'puzzled' as to why the department was 'devoting such attention to restricting Pentagon media instead of engaging with it as senior leaders have long done.' 'Transparency isn't a threat. Independent reporting on national security isn't a luxury. It's democracy,' said National Press Club president Mike Balsamo. 'The Pentagon's new media policy undermines transparency and the public's right to know.'
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
25-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
'Direct attack:' Pentagon Press Association slams Hegseth for imposing restrictions on media
Pentagon Press Association slammed US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth after the Department of Defence enforced new restrictions on media access read more US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth attends the annual White House Easter Egg Roll event, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US, April 21, 2025. File Image/Reuters Journalists covering all the news about the US military called out the Pentagon and said that they are extremely concerned by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth 's constraints on press access at the Pentagon. They argued that the newest restrictions that were outlined on Friday night appeared to be a 'direct attack on the freedom of the press and America's right to know what its military is doing.' According to CNN, the condemnation came from the Pentagon Press Association after Hegseth announced 'additional credentialing procedures for press at the Pentagon in the interest of national security.' The changes were key parts of the Pentagon building off-limits to journalists unless they had an official escort. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to a Pentagon memo, more restrictions are likely to be imposed in the coming weeks. The Department of Defence argued that these measures are being undertaken to protect the country's military secrets. It is pertinent to note that the Friday announcement joined the list of measures taken by the US President Donald Trump's administration. Former news anchor who switched sides Hegseth himself was a former Fox News host, however, he has been distancing himself from his past soon after he took his role at the Department of Defence. As soon as Hegseth took charge, some of the country's biggest news outlets were booted from their dedicated Pentagon workspaces. Not only this, Hegseth assailed his former colleague Jennifer Griffin (Fox's national security correspondent) and other journalists. The Pentagon argued that these measures are being taken under a 'media rotation program'. Only smaller and explicitly pro-Trump news outlets have been getting inside access to the Trump administration. Pentagon eventually announced that the press briefing room would be closed 'when not in use for public briefings.' Top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, a close friend of Hegseth's, has only held one press briefing to date. On Friday, Parnell argued that the access restrictions are 'pragmatic changes to protect operational security.' The memo outlining the restrictions said that 'while the department remains committed to transparency, the department is equally obligated to protect (classified intelligence) and sensitive information, the unauthorised disclosure of which could put the lives of US service members in danger.' Interestingly, in March Hegseth himself was accused of mishandling sensitive information , when he detailed the plans of US military operation in Yemen on a Signal group chat at accidentally included The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg. The Press Association condemn the view According to CNN, the changes announced on Friday would make it more difficult for journalists to reach Hegseth. The restriction would 'eliminate the media's freedom to freely access press officers for the military services who are specifically hired to respond to press queries,' the Pentagon Press Association pointed out. The association represents scores of journalists who regularly cover the military. In a statement, the group maintained that it has been trying to reach out to Hegseth and his aides 'to keep in place a professional working relationship that has persisted for decades,' but to no avail. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The association maintained that it is 'puzzled' about why the Defence Department 'is devoting such attention to restricting Pentagon media instead of engaging with it as senior leaders have long done.' In the past, hegseth has denounced the media bu calling them 'hoax press' and promoted himself by appearing on Fox opinion shows hosted by his friends. Not only this, he enlisted right-wing content creators to increase the Defence Department's promotional efforts on social media. Mike Balsamo, the president of the National Press Club, said independent coverage of the military is in everyone's interest. 'It keeps voters informed, strengthens democratic oversight, and sends a clear message to the world that America stands for openness and accountability,' Balsamo said. 'Restricting access doesn't protect national security. It undermines public trust,' Balsamo said.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Defense Secretary Hegseth orders more restrictions on press at Pentagon
Bedeviled by leaks to the media during his short tenure, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a series of restrictions on the press late Friday that include banning reporters from entering wide swaths of the Pentagon without a government escort — areas where the press has had access in past administrations as it covers the activities of the world's most powerful military. Newly restricted areas include his office and those of his top aides and all of the different locations across the mammoth building where the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Space Force maintain press offices. The media will also be barred from offices of the Pentagon's senior military leadership, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, without Hegseth's approval and an escort from his aides. The staff of the Joint Chiefs has traditionally maintained a good relationship with the press. Hegseth, the former Fox News Channel personality, issued his order via a posting on X late on a Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend. He said it was necessary for national security. 'While the department remains committed to transparency, the department is equally obligated to protect (classified intelligence information) and sensitive information, the unauthorized disclosure of which could put the lives of U.S. service members in danger,' wrote Hegseth. The Pentagon Press Association expressed skepticism that operational concerns were at play — and linked the move to previous actions by Hegseth's office that impede journalists and their coverage. 'There is no way to sugarcoat it. Today's memo by Secretary Hegseth appears to be a direct attack on the freedom of the press and America's right to know what its military is doing,' it said in a statement Friday night. 'The Pentagon Press Association is extremely concerned by the decision to restrict movement of accredited journalists within the Pentagon through non-secured, unclassified hallways.' Hegseth also said reporters will be required to sign a form to protect sensitive information and would be issued a new badge that more clearly identifies them as press. It was not clear whether signing the form would be a condition of continued access to the building. Two months ago, the department was embarrassed by a leak to The New York Times that billionaire Elon Musk was to get a briefing on the U.S. military's plans in case a war broke out with China. That briefing never took place, on President Donald Trump's orders, and Hegseth suspended two Pentagon officials as part of an investigation into how that news got out. The Pentagon was also embarrassed when the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was inadvertently included in a group chat on the Signal messaging app where Hegseth discussed plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen. Trump's former national security adviser, Mike Waltz, took responsibility for Goldberg being included and was shifted to another job. The administration has taken several aggressive actions toward the press since Trump took over, including FCC investigations into ABC, CBS and NBC News. Restrictions imposed on The Associated Press' access to certain White House events earlier this year led to a court battle that is ongoing. The White House has also increased access for conservative media that are friendly to the president. Nevertheless, a study released earlier this month found that Trump had more frequent exchanges with reporters during his first 100 days in office than any of his six predecessors. Hegseth, however, has been far less available. He has yet to speak to the press in the Pentagon briefing room. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell has held only one Pentagon press briefing since Jan. 20. The Pentagon has taken other steps to make it more difficult for reporters, including taking office space away from eight media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN and NBC. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon Press Association calls Defense Secretary Hegseth's access restrictions ‘a direct attack'
Journalists who cover the US military say they are extremely concerned by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's constraints on press access at the Pentagon. They say the newest restrictions, outlined Friday night, appear to be 'a direct attack on the freedom of the press and America's right to know what its military is doing.' The sharp words from the Pentagon Press Association came after Hegseth announced 'additional credentialing procedures for press at the Pentagon in the interest of national security.' The changes make key parts of the Pentagon building off-limits to journalists unless they have an official escort. Further restrictions are likely in the coming weeks, according to a Pentagon memo that alluded to a forthcoming pledge to protect military secrets and tougher scrutiny of press credentialing. Friday night's announcement is part of a pattern. Since January, Hegseth and his Trump administration allies have taken numerous steps to stifle independent media. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has set the tone by assailing his former colleague Jennifer Griffin (Fox's national security correspondent) and other journalists. Almost as soon as Hegseth took charge, some of the country's biggest news outlets were booted from their dedicated Pentagon workspaces. In what the Defense Department called a 'media rotation program,' smaller and explicitly pro-Trump media outlets were offered workspaces. A few weeks later, the Pentagon said the press briefing room would be closed 'when not in use for public briefings.' Top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, a close friend of Hegseth's, has only held one press briefing to date. On Friday, Parnell said on X that the access restrictions are 'pragmatic changes to protect operational security.' The memo outlining the restrictions said that 'while the department remains committed to transparency, the department is equally obligated to protect (classified intelligence) and sensitive information, the unauthorized disclosure of which could put the lives of U.S. service members in danger.' Hegseth himself stood accused of mishandling sensitive information in March when he sent detailed plans about a military operation in Yemen to a Signal group that included The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg. The changes announced on Friday will make it more difficult for journalists to reach Hegseth. It will also eliminate 'the media's freedom to freely access press officers for the military services who are specifically hired to respond to press queries,' the Pentagon Press Association pointed out. The association represents scores of journalists who regularly cover the military. In a statement, the association said it has been trying to reach out to Hegseth and his aides 'to keep in place a professional working relationship that has persisted for decades,' but to no avail. The association said it is 'puzzled' about why the Defense Department 'is devoting such attention to restricting Pentagon media instead of engaging with it as senior leaders have long done.' Hegseth's public comments indicate that he views the media as the opposition. He has denounced what he called the 'hoax press' and promoted himself by appearing on Fox opinion shows hosted by his friends. He also enlisted right-wing content creators to increase the Defense Department's promotional efforts on social media. Podcaster Graham Allen, who helped Hegseth full-time for several months and said Friday that he was moving into a part-time role, dismissed a CBS journalist's objections to the new restrictions by saying, 'you can cry harder.' But Mike Balsamo, the president of the National Press Club, said independent coverage of the military is in everyone's interest. 'It keeps voters informed, strengthens democratic oversight, and sends a clear message to the world that America stands for openness and accountability,' Balsamo said. 'Restricting access doesn't protect national security. It undermines public trust.'
CNN
24-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Pentagon Press Association calls Defense Secretary Hegseth's access restrictions ‘a direct attack'
Journalists who cover the US military say they are extremely concerned by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's constraints on press access at the Pentagon. They say the newest restrictions, outlined Friday night, appear to be 'a direct attack on the freedom of the press and America's right to know what its military is doing.' The sharp words from the Pentagon Press Association came after Hegseth announced 'additional credentialing procedures for press at the Pentagon in the interest of national security.' The changes make key parts of the Pentagon building off-limits to journalists unless they have an official escort. Further restrictions are likely in the coming weeks, according to a Pentagon memo that alluded to a forthcoming pledge to protect military secrets and tougher scrutiny of press credentialing. Friday night's announcement is part of a pattern. Since January, Hegseth and his Trump administration allies have taken numerous steps to stifle independent media. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has set the tone by assailing his former colleague Jennifer Griffin (Fox's national security correspondent) and other journalists. Almost as soon as Hegseth took charge, some of the country's biggest news outlets were booted from their dedicated Pentagon workspaces. In what the Defense Department called a 'media rotation program,' smaller and explicitly pro-Trump media outlets were offered workspaces. A few weeks later, the Pentagon said the press briefing room would be closed 'when not in use for public briefings.' Top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, a close friend of Hegseth's, has only held one press briefing to date. On Friday, Parnell said on X that the access restrictions are 'pragmatic changes to protect operational security.' The memo outlining the restrictions said that 'while the department remains committed to transparency, the department is equally obligated to protect (classified intelligence) and sensitive information, the unauthorized disclosure of which could put the lives of U.S. service members in danger.' Hegseth himself stood accused of mishandling sensitive information in March when he sent detailed plans about a military operation in Yemen to a Signal group that included The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg. The changes announced on Friday will make it more difficult for journalists to reach Hegseth. It will also eliminate 'the media's freedom to freely access press officers for the military services who are specifically hired to respond to press queries,' the Pentagon Press Association pointed out. The association represents scores of journalists who regularly cover the military. In a statement, the association said it has been trying to reach out to Hegseth and his aides 'to keep in place a professional working relationship that has persisted for decades,' but to no avail. The association said it is 'puzzled' about why the Defense Department 'is devoting such attention to restricting Pentagon media instead of engaging with it as senior leaders have long done.' Hegseth's public comments indicate that he views the media as the opposition. He has denounced what he called the 'hoax press' and promoted himself by appearing on Fox opinion shows hosted by his friends. He also enlisted right-wing content creators to increase the Defense Department's promotional efforts on social media. Podcaster Graham Allen, who helped Hegseth full-time for several months and said Friday that he was moving into a part-time role, dismissed a CBS journalist's objections to the new restrictions by saying, 'you can cry harder.' But Mike Balsamo, the president of the National Press Club, said independent coverage of the military is in everyone's interest. 'It keeps voters informed, strengthens democratic oversight, and sends a clear message to the world that America stands for openness and accountability,' Balsamo said. 'Restricting access doesn't protect national security. It undermines public trust.'
