Pentagon Makes Press Office A SCIF And Bars Journalists From Space
On June 1, 2026, the Pentagon designated its press office a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) and barred journalists from entering the room, sharply restricting reporters' access to Defense Department officials.[1]
Acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez said reporters will no longer be permitted inside the office and must schedule appointments to see public affairs officials.[1] Pentagon said speechwriters for the Office of the Secretary of War who handle classified material will work in the press office and need SIPRNet (the military's classified network) access, prompting the SCIF designation.[1]
In March 2026 the Pentagon closed the long-used "Correspondents' Corridor" and began requiring reporters to be escorted to briefings, curtailing on-the-ground access inside the building.[1] A federal judge in April blocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's earlier effort to force reporters to publish only administration-approved information, a legal rebuke that critics cite as central to growing press restrictions at the department.[1]
National Press Club leaders criticized the SCIF move as part of an escalating pattern of press restrictions and warned it will hinder beat reporting and rapid accountability at the Pentagon.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On June 1, 2026, the Pentagon press office was formally designated a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF).
- Acting Press Secretary Joel Valdez said journalists will no longer be permitted to enter the press office and must schedule appointments to access public affairs officials.
- The stated rationale is that Office of the Secretary of War speechwriters who handle classified material and need SIPRNet access will now work in the press office.
- In March 2026, the Pentagon closed the long-used "Correspondents' Corridor" and began requiring reporters to be escorted to briefings.
- A federal judge in April 2026 struck down Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's earlier attempt to condition press coverage on publishing only administration-authorized information.
- National Press Club leadership publicly criticized the new SCIF designation as part of an escalating pattern of press restrictions at the Defense Department.
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