Move further restricts media access to the Pentagon amid an ongoing legal battle over press freedoms and transparency
The Pentagon is seen from the air in Washington, DC, US, March 3, 2022. Photo: Reuters
The Pentagon has designated its press office as a classified facility and barred journalists from entering the space, a move that further restricts media access to the US Department of Defence, according to a report by The Washington Post.
According to the report, the change took effect in recent weeks and was confirmed by four individuals familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity, as the decision had not been publicly detailed.
The redesignation marks a significant departure from previous administrations, during which the Pentagon’s public affairs office functioned as an open workspace where reporters could freely approach military public affairs officials and seek answers without requiring escorts.
The Washington Post reported that the decision was driven in part by the relocation of Pentagon speechwriters into the public affairs office. The office is also being equipped with SIPRNet, the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network, enabling personnel to access classified communications without moving to separate secure facilities.
“The Pentagon Press Office has been redesignated as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility due to speechwriters from the Office of the Secretary of War sharing the facility,” acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez said in a statement cited by The Washington Post.
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Valdez said the speechwriters routinely handle classified material and require SIPRNet access. As a result, journalists will no longer be permitted to enter the office space.
However, access to the offices of senior public affairs officials and the Pentagon press secretary will remain available by appointment.
The move comes amid an ongoing dispute between the Pentagon and the press corps over media access to the building. According to the report, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has significantly tightened restrictions on journalists, introducing new press guidelines and limiting access to most areas within the Pentagon.
The report noted that the new designation could further reduce opportunities for interaction between journalists and Pentagon spokespeople even if reporters are eventually allowed broader access to the building.
Historically, the public affairs office served as an informal gathering point where reporters could interact with officials, attend off-camera briefings and ask questions in a less structured setting. However, the report said that such practices have largely ceased under Hegseth’s leadership.
According to the Washington Post, the Pentagon has removed many journalists from the building, including representatives from some newly accredited right-leaning media organisations. The report contrasted the Pentagon’s approach with that of the press operations of Marco Rubio and Donald Trump, both of whom continue to maintain regular engagement with reporters covering their activities.
Tensions between the Pentagon and the media escalated in October when hundreds of journalists surrendered their credentials rather than comply with a revised media policy requiring them to agree not to seek information that had not been authorised for public release, according to the Washington Post report.
The report added that a federal judge struck down the policy in March after a legal challenge by The New York Times. The US government is appealing that ruling, while a separate lawsuit filed by the newspaper in May challenges a requirement that journalists be escorted while moving around the Pentagon.
That case remains ongoing, according to The Washington Post.
