Federal Judge Says Pentagon’s New Press Limits Violate Earlier Order and ‘Smack of Autocracy’
Federal Judge Paul Friedman ruled that the Pentagon violated his March 20 order by replacing the struck‑down credential policy with an escort‑only regime that effectively expelled reporters and closed a long‑used press workspace, saying the Defense Department “simply cannot reinstate an unlawful policy under the guise of taking 'new' action” and that the move “smacks of an autocracy.” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell disputed the ruling and said the department has complied and will appeal; the fight follows the Pentagon’s earlier attempt to force reporters to publish only administration‑authorized unclassified information, which led most major outlets to walk out.
📌 Key Facts
- Judge Paul Friedman ruled that the Pentagon violated his March 20 order by replacing the struck‑down credential policy with an escort‑only regime and by closing a long‑used Pentagon press workspace, measures that effectively expel reporters from the building.
- Friedman wrote that the Defense Department 'simply cannot reinstate an unlawful policy under the guise of taking "new" action,' said the access now offered is 'not even close' to the broad access previously available, and said Hegseth's renewed effort 'smacks of an autocracy, not a democracy.'
- The ruling responded to New York Times arguments that the Pentagon curtailed physical access and sought to impose unprecedented rules on when reporters could grant anonymity to sources.
- Hegseth's original policy had tried to force reporters to agree to publish only information 'authorized for release by the administration,' including unclassified information, or face loss of badges and access.
- Nearly all major outlets, including MS NOW and Fox News, refused those terms and staged a coordinated walkout from the Pentagon.
- A Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, disputed the ruling, said the department had 'at all times' complied with court orders, and said the department/administration intends to appeal Friedman’s latest ruling.
📊 Relevant Data
In a March 2026 Quinnipiac University poll of registered voters, 52% of men support U.S. military action against Iran compared to 30% of women, while 43% of men and 63% of women oppose it.
U.S. Military Action Against Iran: Over Half Of Voters Oppose, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Voters Say No To Ground Troops 3-1 — Quinnipiac University Poll
Following the mass exodus of major news outlets from the Pentagon in October 2025 due to restrictive policies, the Defense Department announced a 'next generation' press corps consisting of more than 60 journalists primarily from conservative and right-wing media outlets, such as The Federalist, Epoch Times, One America News, Gateway Pundit, and LindellTV.
Pentagon announces new press corps after legacy media refused to sign policy — The Hill
During the 1991 Gulf War, the Pentagon implemented media pools where reporters accompanied troops but all dispatches were subject to prior security review and censorship, a level of restriction not seen in modern conflicts until the 2025 policies.
What restrictions were placed on embedded journalists during the Persian Gulf War? — History Stack Exchange
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Politico-reported language quoted here shows Judge Paul Friedman explicitly saying Hegseth’s renewed effort to restrict press access 'smacks of an autocracy, not a democracy.'
- The article recounts that Hegseth’s original policy tried to force reporters to agree to publish only information 'authorized for release by the administration,' including unclassified information, or lose badges and access.
- It notes that nearly all major outlets, including MS NOW and Fox News, refused those terms and walked out of the Pentagon together in a coordinated exodus.
- The piece reports that, after Friedman’s first ruling last month, Hegseth’s team responded by closing a long‑used Pentagon press workspace and imposing new limits, prompting Friedman’s latest rebuke.
- A Pentagon spokesperson says the administration plans to appeal Friedman’s latest ruling.
- Judge Paul Friedman ruled on Thursday that the Pentagon is violating his March 20 order by replacing the struck‑down credential policy with a new escort‑only regime that effectively expels reporters from the building.
- Friedman wrote that the Defense Department "simply cannot reinstate an unlawful policy under the guise of taking 'new' action" and said the access now offered is "not even close" to the broad access previously available.
- Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell publicly disputed the ruling, claimed the Pentagon has "at all times" complied with the court’s orders, and said the department intends to appeal.
- The ruling came in response to New York Times arguments that the Pentagon not only curtailed physical access but also sought to impose unprecedented rules on when reporters could grant anonymity to sources.