Despite his contentious relationship with journalists and the mainstream media, President Donald Trump seemed to side with Pentagon reporters on Sunday, when asked about the Department of War’s (DoW) new press policies. His comments came in response to a question about limiting media access to the Pentagon and Pentagon officials.
‘Nothing stops reporters’
As he was readying his departure for conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s funeral on Sunday, Trump was asked by a reporter if the Pentagon should be “part of deciding what reporters can report on?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Trump replied. “Nothing stops reporters.”
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The DoW made changes to its press policy earlier this week, sparking concerns from members of the media. Under new guidance, all members of the Pentagon press corps must pledge, in writing, not to report any information that has not been cleared by the DoW, including unclassified materials.
On page three of the consent agreement to be signed by working members of the media, the DoW writes, “DoW information must be approved for public release by an appropriate authorizing official before it is released, even if it is unclassified.” Those who don’t oblige risk losing their press credentials.
It’s unclear if Trump’s comments will have any impact on DoW policy.
National security or censorship?
While the DoW argues that its changes are necessary to safeguard national security interests, numerous press clubs and members of the media criticized the policy.
“If the news about our military must first be approved by the government, then the public is no longer getting independent reporting,” the National Press Club of America said in a statement. “It is getting only what officials want them to see. That should alarm every American.”
Award-winning journalist Bill Marimow also cited historical examples of why press freedom surrounding military operations is an integral part of U.S. history.
“Under Pete Hegseth’s new rules, journalists would have had their press credentials canceled for reporting the Johnson Administration’s lies during the Vietnam War; for John Hersey’s groundbreaking New Yorker report about the aftermath of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima; the stories about JFK’s disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba; the torture of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison; and countless other stories of importance,” Marimow wrote on social media.
Did Trump mean it?
Trump’s contentious relationship with the press is well-documented, and he recently floated the idea of revoking the TV licenses of networks that are overly critical of him.
He is also widely known for his litigious nature, and media organizations are not exempt from that. It’s been estimated that Trump has filed around 4,000 lawsuits throughout his lifetime, including suits against The Wall Street Journal, ABC News, CNN, The New York Times, and local newspapers such as The Des Moines Register.
The administration has also implemented various measures affecting the media this year. In February, several major media companies, including NBC News, The New York Times, National Public Radio and Politico, were told they would need to vacate their office spaces at the Pentagon, making way for other outlets.
And in May, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that there would be new restrictions on journalists covering the Pentagon. Those changes included not allowing reporters in certain areas of the Pentagon that they had previously been allowed to enter, without an escort from the government and “official approval.”
