US judge blocks Pentagon press policy in ruling for New York Times
The Chronify
A federal judge has blocked key parts of the Pentagon’s press access policy, ruling that the Trump administration cannot enforce rules that threatened reporters with losing credentials for seeking information beyond official channels. The court sided with The New York Times and found the policy unconstitutional.
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said the rules were vague, overly broad, and in violation of the First and Fifth Amendments. He wrote that the policy did not give reporters fair notice of what routine, lawful journalistic work could lead to the denial, suspension, or revocation of Pentagon credentials.
The judge also said the evidence showed the policy was designed to weed out “disfavored journalists” and replace them with reporters who were willing to serve the government, calling it a clear case of viewpoint discrimination. He ordered the Pentagon to restore credentials for seven Times journalists and said the ruling applies to all affected parties, not only the newspaper.
The policy was introduced in October 2025 under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. It allowed officials to treat journalists as security risks if they sought classified, and in some cases unclassified, information from unauthorized sources. Most Pentagon correspondents refused to sign the new terms, and only one of the 56 outlets in the Pentagon Press Association agreed to them.
Government lawyers said the rules were needed to protect national security and prevent improper disclosure of military information. Friedman said troop safety, war plans, and national security must be protected, but added that public access to reporting from different perspectives is especially important during a time of war. He pointed in particular to the administration’s recent actions in Venezuela and Iran.
The Pentagon said it disagrees with the decision and will pursue an immediate appeal. Friedman refused the department’s request to pause his ruling for a week and ordered it to file a written compliance report within seven days.
The judge also said the evidence showed the policy was designed to weed out “disfavored journalists” and replace them with reporters who were willing to serve the government, calling it a clear case of viewpoint discrimination. He ordered the Pentagon to restore credentials for seven Times journalists and said the ruling applies to all affected parties, not only the newspaper.
The policy was introduced in October 2025 under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. It allowed officials to treat journalists as security risks if they sought classified, and in some cases unclassified, information from unauthorized sources. Most Pentagon correspondents refused to sign the new terms, and only one of the 56 outlets in the Pentagon Press Association agreed to them.
Government lawyers said the rules were needed to protect national security and prevent improper disclosure of military information. Friedman said troop safety, war plans, and national security must be protected, but added that public access to reporting from different perspectives is especially important during a time of war. He pointed in particular to the administration’s recent actions in Venezuela and Iran.
The Pentagon said it disagrees with the decision and will pursue an immediate appeal. Friedman refused the department’s request to pause his ruling for a week and ordered it to file a written compliance report within seven days.
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