Incident
United States: Department of Defense press credential rules requiring approval before release of information, September 2025
On September 19, 2025, the United States Department of Defense, the federal department that provides the country's military forces, issued new credential rules for reporters at the Pentagon, its headquarters building, under the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. The rules require that information be approved for public release by an authorizing official "before it is released, even if it is unclassified," and require accredited reporters to pledge not to solicit or publish such information without approval or lose their badges. The Pentagon called the rules "an important step in preventing leaks that damage operational security and national security." A federal judge ruled against the rules in March and April 2026, and the department has appealed (as of 2026-09-22).1
What happened
On September 19, 2025, the Department of Defense of the United States, under the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, issued press credential rules that require accredited reporters to sign a pledge not to solicit or publish unclassified but sensitive information without authorization from an appropriate Pentagon official. The rules also restrict reporters' movement inside the Pentagon, the department's headquarters, without an escort.2341
Hegseth said, "The press is no longer allowed to roam the halls of a secure facility. Wear a badge and follow the rules," and added, "or go home."2341
Military Times and Defense News, two publications that cover the United States armed forces, said the policy "threatens to punish reporters who ask legitimate questions in the course of their daily work." Most reporters with Pentagon credentials declined to sign and turned in their badges in October 2025 (see the October 2025 entry).2341
Status as of 2026-09-22: Partly in effect. On March 20, 2026, United States District Judge Paul Friedman ruled that the rules' credential-revocation provisions violated constitutional protections and ordered credentials restored for seven New York Times journalists. The department issued revised restrictions on March 23, 2026, which the Pentagon Press Association called "a clear violation of the letter and spirit" of the ruling. On April 9, 2026, Friedman wrote that the department "simply cannot reinstate an unlawful policy under the guise of taking 'new' action," and the department appealed. Most major outlets work without Pentagon building credentials.4
What reason was given
Stated justificationThe Department of Defense said the rules were "an important step in preventing leaks that damage operational security and national security."2
What changed for reporting
Reporters who declined to sign the pledge lost their Pentagon credentials and building access. Reporters who sign may not solicit or publish sensitive unclassified information unless a Pentagon official has approved its release.3
Timeline
2025
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Pete Hegseth | ordered | United States Secretary of Defense |
| United States Department of Defense | enforced | Federal executive department |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| Military Times / Defense News | outlet | affected |
Sources
- Journalists forced to obtain approval to publish stories in new Pentagon restrictions archived copy
- Pentagon press restrictions: what outlets are doing
- 2025 Pentagon press pass forfeiture archived copy
- Federal judge finds Pentagon in violation of court order to restore reporters' access archived copy
- Defense Secretary Hegseth requires new 'pledge' for Pentagon reporters archived copy
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- The Pentagon's new press rules were made public on Friday, September 19, 2025, when officials confirmed them to reporters.
The Pentagon will drastically change its rules for journalists who cover the Department of Defense, two U.S. officials who are not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to NPR Friday.
Defense Secretary Hegseth requires new 'pledge' for Pentagon reporters archived copy, NPR, 2025-09-20.Claim 109, checked 2026-09-22. - The Pentagon framed the rules as a leak-prevention measure.
an important step in preventing leaks that damage operational security and national security
2025 Pentagon press pass forfeiture archived copy, Wikipedia.Claim 33, checked 2026-09-22. - Reporters faced a choice between signing the pledge or forfeiting Pentagon press credentials.
The press is no longer allowed to roam the halls of a secure facility. Wear a badge and follow the rules — or go home.
2025 Pentagon press pass forfeiture archived copy, Wikipedia.Claim 34, checked 2026-09-22. - A federal judge ruled the credentialing rules violated constitutional protections in March 2026 and found the Pentagon's revised version was, in his words, "an unlawful policy," again in April 2026; the Pentagon has appealed.
The department simply cannot reinstate an unlawful policy under the guise of taking 'new' action and expect the court to look the other way,
Federal judge finds Pentagon in violation of court order to restore reporters' access archived copy, PBS NewsHour, 2026-04-09.Claim 35, checked 2026-09-22.