Tue Oct 14 19:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text, followed by a rewritten version as a news article:

**Summary:**

NPR is losing access to the Pentagon because it refuses to sign a new Defense Department document that threatens to revoke press credentials for journalists who solicit unapproved information, even if it’s unclassified. NPR argues this policy hinders investigative journalism and reduces reporters to mere stenographers of official statements. Other major news organizations, across the political spectrum, are also refusing to sign. The author, a veteran NPR correspondent with 28 years of Pentagon experience, details how essential soliciting information from sources within the military has been to reporting on the realities of wars and holding the government accountable, citing examples from Iraq and Afghanistan. The article highlights a decline in transparency under the current administration, with fewer press briefings and reliance on controlled media releases. The author argues this restriction on press access undermines the public’s right to know and the vital role of a free press in a democracy. It also gives a detailed account of how war is reported on first hand and the cost it has on journalists who risk their lives to get the ground truth to the American people.

**News Article:**

**NPR Barred From Pentagon Over New Media Policy, Raising Concerns About Transparency**

**ARLINGTON, VA –** National Public Radio (NPR) is set to lose access to the Pentagon today after refusing to sign a new Defense Department document that critics say would severely restrict journalists’ ability to report on military activities and hold the government accountable. The policy warns that reporters could lose their press credentials for soliciting unclassified information from federal employees that hasn’t been officially approved for release.

“Signing that document would make us stenographers parroting press releases, not watchdogs holding government officials accountable,” wrote NPR correspondent Tom Bowman, who has covered the Pentagon for 28 years.

NPR is not alone in its defiance. Major news organizations across the political spectrum, including *The Washington Post*, *CNN*, *The New York Times*, *The Washington Times*, and *Newsmax*, have also declined to sign the document, raising serious concerns about government censorship and control over information. Reportedly about 100 Pentagon press members will be barred from the building if they do not sign by the end of business today, Tuesday.

The Defense Department, under Secretary Pete Hegseth, has defended the policy as necessary to protect sensitive information. However, critics argue that it will stifle investigative journalism and prevent the public from learning the truth about military operations, policies, and spending. Secretary Hegseth gave only two press briefings over the past 10 months.

Bowman cited several examples of how soliciting information from sources within the military has been critical to his reporting, including revealing discrepancies between official accounts of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the realities on the ground. He lamented a growing lack of transparency under the current administration, noting a significant decrease in press briefings and background discussions compared to previous administrations. Bowman recounts the story of his two NPR colleagues who were killed while covering the war in Afghanistan, which included getting ground truth about what had become America’s longest war.

“With no reporters able to ask questions, it seems the Pentagon leadership will continue to rely on slick social media posts, carefully orchestrated short videos and interviews with partisan commentators and podcasters,” Bowman wrote. “No one should think that’s good enough.”

The move raises broader questions about the role of the press in a democracy and the government’s responsibility to be transparent with the American people, especially when it comes to matters of war and national security.

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