DOD removes media outlets from Pentagon under new rotation program

Several major media companies were told they would need to vacate their office spaces at the Pentagon, in favor of other outlets. Pentagon officials told the news agencies on Friday night. 

NBC News, The New York Times, National Public Radio and Politico must vacate their dedicated workspaces. The organizations learned about the new directive in a memo sent to the press corps without being individually notified, according to NBC News. The Pentagon released an email saying in part, “no additional information will be provided at this time.”

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

Why is the Pentagon kicking out these news agencies?

The Pentagon said this is part of a new program. They call it the Annual Media Rotation Program. They said it would give other news outlets a better privilege to work within the Pentagon. 

“For over a half-century, the Pentagon Press Corps has benefited from working out of individual office spaces that provide coveted and open access to some of the Department’s top military and civilian leaders,” read the memo Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot sent to the Pentagon Press Association. 

“In order to broaden access to the limited space of the Correspondents’ Corridor to outlets that have not previously enjoyed the privilege and journalist value of working from physical office space in the Pentagon, beginning February 14, 2025,” Ullyot wrote, there will be “a new Annual Media Rotation Program for those dedicated media spaces.”

Who will be moving into the vacated spots?

The Pentagon said One America News Network, the New York Post, Breitbart News and HuffPost would be moving into the spots.

According to AllSides, a website that rates media bias, OANN, the Post and Breitbart are all considered right-leaning news sources. HuffPost is the only one of the new sources that lean to the left, according to AllSides. 

What has the response been to the news?

Officials at NBC News said they are disappointed by the decision. The company said despite the new complications, it will continue to, “gather and report news in the national public interest, we will continue to report with the same integrity and rigor NBC News always has.”

HuffPost doesn’t currently have a Pentagon correspondent. However, the company told CNN that it’s ready to deliver. 

“If the Trump administration and Secretary Hegseth are interested in more hard-hitting coverage of their stewardship of the defense department from HuffPost, we are ready to deliver,” a spokesperson for the outlet told CNN.

Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Sign up for the newsletter today!

Learn more about our emails. Unsubscribe anytime.

Enter your email for newsletter updates Subscribe

By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.

Officials with The Times said it was concerned about the recent developments.

“The Department of Defense has the largest discretionary budget in the government, millions of Americans in uniform under its direction and control of a vast arsenal funded by taxpayers. The Times is committed to covering the Pentagon fully and fairly. Steps designed to impede access are clearly not in the public interest,” the paper added in an email statement.