Reporting Restrictions by the Pentagon Are Opposed by News Organizations

The New York Times, Washington Post, AP, NPR, and Newsmax are among the major American news organizations that are refusing to sign new Pentagon media regulations. They claim that the limitations, which forbid unauthorized information gathering and demand escorts, violate the First Amendment. They "undercut First Amendment protections," according to the editor of The Atlantic. The Pentagon defends the policy as "common sense," claiming it safeguards national security, despite the conservative One America News Network's agreement. With the Defense Department showing no signs of rethinking and an official dismissively waving off the objections, the backlash is likely to reduce the size of the Pentagon press corps.