Federal judge to hear arguments about Pentagon's restrictions on press access [View all]

Source: NBC News

March 5, 2026, 4:25 PM EST


WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Washington will hear arguments Friday about the legality of Department of Defense rules that require credentialed journalists to only report information previously authorized by the government, or risk losing their Pentagon press badges.

Attorneys for The New York Times say the policy, instituted in mid-2025, “seeks to restrict journalists’ ability to do what journalists have always done — ask questions of government employees and gather information to report stories that take the public beyond official pronouncements.”

The rules, contained in a 21-page agreement that media outlets were asked to sign, prohibits the gathering or publication of any information that is not authorized by the government, including declassified information and off-the-record conversations, whether obtained on or off Pentagon grounds. Failure to sign up for the rules could result in a suspension of Pentagon access.

The new rules were strongly opposed by dozens of media outlets, and the five major broadcasters — including NBC News — did not sign the department’s agreement. As a result, they lost their regular access to the Pentagon.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/federal-judge-pentagon-press-access-new-york-times-freedom-rcna261945