The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, challenging new media restrictions at the Pentagon.
The suit argues that the new rules violate the U.S. Constitution’s protections for a free press and deprive the public of vital military information.
Driving the news: The Pentagon’s policy requires that journalists only publish information explicitly authorized by the Defense Department, even if materials are unclassified or obtained outside the Pentagon.
- In October, reporters from The Times and other mainstream media outlets – including CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC – staged a walkout, refusing to comply with the restrictive rules and surrendering their Pentagon credentials.
The big picture: The Times is asking a federal judge to block the enforcement of the new rules and declare the policy unconstitutional.
- The contested media rules are part of Secretary Hegseth’s broader effort to reshape the Pentagon press corps, including stripping national outlets of workspaces and tightening access.
