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**Pentagon Tightens Grip on Media Access, Citing National Security**

**Washington, D.C.** – The U.S. Defense Department, under the leadership of Secretary Pete Hegseth, has announced sweeping new restrictions on media access within the Pentagon. A memo released Friday outlined policies that will require journalists to be accompanied by government escorts in many areas of the building, including the offices of Secretary Hegseth, his top aides, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Secretary Hegseth, a former FOX News host, stated the changes are necessary to protect national security, citing the need to safeguard classified information and prevent disclosures that could endanger service members.

The move has sparked immediate and strong condemnation from press organizations. The Pentagon Press Association (PPA) called the restrictions “a direct attack on the freedom of the press and America’s right to know what its military is doing.” The National Press Club urged the Pentagon to reverse course, arguing that restricting access “undermines public trust” rather than protecting national security.

These restrictions are the latest in a series of moves by the Trump administration to limit media access and control reporting. Earlier this year, several major news outlets, including NPR, were evicted from their dedicated workspaces at the Pentagon. The White House also revoked the White House Correspondents’ Association’s ability to manage media coverage sharing for major events.

The new policy comes amidst scrutiny of Secretary Hegseth’s own handling of sensitive information. He has faced criticism for twice sharing military plans on his private phone via the Signal messaging app, including inadvertently sharing information with a journalist.

The memo indicates that journalists will be required to complete new forms, receive new credentials and badges with clearer press identifiers, and will be subject to enhanced scrutiny during the credentialing process. Secretary Hegseth also indicated that further security measures are expected to be implemented in the future.

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