Pentagon Bars Still Photographers as Hegseth Escalates Attacks on ‘Fake’ Iran War Coverage and Praises Prospective CNN Buyer Ellison
Pentagon officials have barred still photographers — including the Associated Press, Reuters and Getty Images — from recent Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Iran‑war briefings, a move the National Press Club condemned and that reporting says aides instituted after disliking how Hegseth appeared in photos. At a March 13 briefing Hegseth called media coverage of the Iran war "fake news," attacked a CNN report about U.S. misestimates of Iran’s willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz, and praised prospective CNN buyer David Ellison, actions critics tie to his broader campaign to limit and reshape Pentagon press access amid a conflict that has killed at least 13 U.S. service members and cost more than $11.3 billion.
📌 Key Facts
- The Pentagon has barred still photographers from subsequent Iran‑war briefings after aides objected to how Pete Hegseth looked in images from his first briefing; the Associated Press, Reuters and Getty Images were affected. MS NOW confirms the photographic restrictions though it has not independently verified all Washington Post sourcing, and National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. formally condemned the new limits.
- MS NOW ties the photographer ban to a broader pattern of Hegseth actions: last year he demanded Pentagon reporters agree to publish only administration‑authorized information or lose access and badges, and he replaced legacy reporters with a roster of far‑right activists and influencers who accepted those conditions.
- At a March 13 Pentagon news conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused media coverage of the Iran war of being 'fake news,' saying reporting that emphasizes U.S. casualties and economic fallout is intentionally negative.
- Hegseth specifically attacked a multi‑source CNN report that the Trump administration underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz, calling it 'patently ridiculous'; MS NOW later confirmed that CNN report.
- Hegseth publicly praised prospective CNN owner David Ellison, saying 'The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better,' as the administration is expected to approve a roughly $110 billion Paramount–Warner Bros. merger that would put the Ellison family in control of CNN.
- The coverage notes the Ellison family’s earlier acquisition of Paramount (parent of CBS News) was completed with the Trump administration’s blessing and included a $16 million settlement of Trump’s lawsuit over a '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris.
- Reporting reiterates that the Iran war has killed at least 13 U.S. service members, cost over $11.3 billion, driven chaos in the Persian Gulf and soaring energy prices after a near‑total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and that a preliminary U.S. military investigation found the U.S. responsible for a deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school.
📊 Relevant Data
In post-9/11 conflicts, Black service members have faced higher rates of disciplinary actions and are overrepresented in lower ranks, potentially contributing to disparities in injury and casualty risks due to differences in roles and exposures.
Racial Disparities in the Department of the Air Force Military Justice System — RAND Corporation
Iranian Americans largely oppose U.S. military action against Iran, with surveys showing over 70% disapproval rates among this demographic, influenced by concerns over family ties and cultural connections.
Do Americans Favor Attacking Iran Under the Current Circumstances? — University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll
Veterans, particularly those from minority backgrounds, show varying support for U.S. foreign interventions, with Black veterans expressing lower approval for prolonged engagements compared to White veterans, linked to historical experiences of inequality in service.
Black Veterans' Insight on Racial Disparities in Military Administrative Separations — Connecticut Veterans Legal Center
Black and Latino households face higher energy burdens, paying 13-18% more per square foot on energy costs compared to White households, exacerbated by income disparities and housing factors during periods of rising global energy prices.
During the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the U.S. government implemented media embedding programs and information controls to shape coverage, influencing public perception by limiting independent reporting on casualties and operations.
A U.S. Media Strategy for the 2020s: Lessons from the Cold War — Texas National Security Review
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- At a March 13 Pentagon news conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called media reporting on the Iran war 'fake news' and claimed press coverage emphasizing U.S. casualties and economic fallout is intentionally negative.
- Hegseth specifically attacked a CNN report (later confirmed by MS NOW) that the Trump administration underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz, dismissing it as 'patently ridiculous' despite its multi‑source backing.
- He publicly praised prospective CNN owner David Ellison, saying 'The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better,' as the administration is expected to approve a $110 billion Paramount–Warner Bros. merger putting the Ellison family in control of CNN.
- The article reiterates that the Iran war has killed at least 13 U.S. service members, cost over $11.3 billion, driven chaos in the Persian Gulf and soaring energy prices after a near‑total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and that a preliminary U.S. military investigation has found the U.S. responsible for a deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school.
- The piece notes Trump has previously accused CNN of 'fake news' and that the Ellison family’s earlier acquisition of Paramount (parent of CBS News) was completed with the Trump administration’s blessing, including a $16 million settlement of Trump’s lawsuit over a '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris.
- Washington Post reporting (cited here) says Hegseth’s aides moved to bar photographers from subsequent Pentagon war briefings specifically because they disliked how he looked in images from his first Iran‑war briefing in months.
- The outlets affected at that initial briefing are identified as the Associated Press, Reuters, and Getty Images, whose photos are widely syndicated globally.
- National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. formally condemned the new restrictions in a written statement on Wednesday.
- This piece ties the still‑photographer ban directly to a pattern of prior Hegseth actions: his demand last year that Pentagon reporters agree to only publish administration‑authorized information or lose access and badges, and his replacement of legacy reporters with a roster of far‑right activists and influencers who accepted those conditions.
- MS NOW notes it has not independently verified every element of the Washington Post’s sourcing on staff objections to the photos, but confirms on the record that the Pentagon has indeed imposed the new photographic restrictions.