Judge rules Pentagon violated order to restore press access
FILE - U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon on April 08, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
A federal judge on Thursday ruled that the Defense Department violated his earlier order to restore access to the Pentagon for reporters.
This is the second time the judge sided with The New York Times this month.
Dig deeper:
The Pentagon’s new credential policy violated journalists’ constitutional rights to free speech and due process, according to the judge.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s team had tried to evade the March 20 ruling by putting in new rules that expelled all reporters from the building unless guided by escorts.
The Pentagon was ordered to reinstate press credentials for seven Times reporters and said the decision was to be applied to "all regulated parties."
What they're saying:
"The department simply cannot reinstate an unlawful policy under the guise of taking ‘new’ action and expect the court to look the other way," the judge wrote.
The other side:
Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell said it disagrees with the ruling and intends to appeal.
Media outlets reject Pentagon's new press policy
A variety of media outlets have rejected new rules for journalists based in the Pentagon. The Washington Post's Scott Nover joins LiveNOW's Mike Pache to discuss.
The backstory:
In October, reporters from mainstream news outlets walked out of the building rather than agree to the new rules. The Times sued the Pentagon and Hegseth in December to challenge the policy.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from The Associated Press.