The media is having all sorts of tantrums over the new and very reasonable media requirements from the Pentagon. How dare the Department of War tell them What are those requirements?

In September, the Defense Department sent reporters a memo saying that they’d be required to sign a document acknowledging they would not disclose either classified or controlled unclassified information that is not formally authorized for publication. It warned Pentagon reporters they could lose their press credentials for “unauthorized access, attempted unauthorized access, or unauthorized disclosure” of classified information or anything designated as “controlled unclassified information.”

The memo also said, “DoW information must be approved before public release … even if it is unclassified.”

Gosh. That sounds like major common sense to me. Secretary Pete Hegseth clarified it even further. 

Pentagon access is a privilege, not a right. So, here is @DeptofWar press credentialing FOR DUMMIES:

✅ Press no longer roams free

✅ Press must wear visible badge

✅ Credentialed press no longer permitted to solicit criminal acts

DONE. Pentagon now has same rules as every…

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) October 13, 2025

And the media has been throwing tantrums ever since. Even media who should know better. 

The fact is, I agree with these requirements. They are blunt. Classified intel is no longer allowed to be leaked. Period. Full Stop. 

Do NOT report classified intel. Why? It can jeopardize missions and more importantly the lives of our soldiers and agents. 

Don’t even tap dance around whether the intel is classified or not. Why? See answer above. 

Furthermore, as you read the ACTUAL press requirements, nowhere in it is any indication that the media will be TOLD what to write or not write. I’ll caveat that with.. if it’s classified… DO NOT WRITE. 

Here’s why they are throwing tantrums. The new press requirements state that the media doesn’t possess a legal right to access any area of the Pentagon with zero pushback. And that’s correct. They also put in writing that encouraging Pentagon employees, civilian or members of the military, to leak intel is now absolutely forbidden. 

Oh, don’t start on me about the Freedom of the Press. Freedom of the Press means that you get to REPORT news items. It does not mean you get to demand and be granted access to wherever you want. The media and far too many politicians have forgotten or are willfully ignoring that salient point. 

As is pointed out, in World War II there was a slogan. A very important slogan.

To be blunt, people were shitcanned from their jobs or even thrown in prison during that time period for breaking those rules. 

But now, in the last twenty years at least, Pentagon weenies and the media have cultivated relationships that have led to media breaking stories chock full of those “unnamed sources” about Pentagon dealings. Too many of those reports, especially during President Trump’s first term, were designed as hit jobs. 

Furthermore, the media then (most of them anyway) completely abdicated their job during the Biden Administration and engaged in ZERO reporting on key matters …such as Sec Def Austin going freaking AWOL twice in ten months! 

But now, common sense rules are being put in place. 

War Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed strict new Pentagon security rules, emphasizing that access will be tightly controlled.

> “The Pentagon press corps can squeal all they want! We're taking these things seriously. We're not allowing everybody to roam around the building. No badge,… pic.twitter.com/3LY0xs9I0T

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) October 5, 2025

Roam around the Pentagon at will WITHOUT a badge? That should never have been allowed. May I remind you again… loose lips sink ships! 

The media, however, is bleating about journalism and the First Amendment. Lara REALLY doesn’t get it.

The Pentagon is not a media theme park.

I can't wander around there. My neighbor can't wander around there.

But you all feel so entitled that you think you should be able to wander around one of the nation's most sensitive military facilities freely.

— Life is a Liberty Matter (@LibertyMatter77) October 16, 2025

Furthermore, the Pentagon has indicated they won’t require oversight on what to publish. But they are, rightly so, standing firm on ensuring that classified intel is not leaked from Pentagon staffers with axes to grind to the media. 

The point in that example is that even DOW employees have to obey such restrictions, like employees of corporations.

Why should the press have special privilege to not be held accountable when they release information without the DOW’s consent, while DOW employees are?

— Will Campbell (@wacthe3) October 14, 2025

The Pentagon has been a leaking sieve for far too long. It’s in the best interests of our national security that protocols are tightened. 

‘Going to lose public trust.’ Try again. Public trust has been eroded by our government for far too long. The Covid pandemic crap made it even worse. 

How the Biden Administration handled the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan contributed further to that mistrust in our government institutions AND the media. Refusing to report on Biden’s cognitive decline and failure to report on Austin’s AWOL antics adds to the dislike and mistrust. 

But the media persists in demanding unfettered, unchecked access. Thus their tantrums and the walkout because they won’t have access to their favorite anonymous sources and classified intel any longer. 

Again, the guidelines are fair and straightforward. 

“Nothing in this document requires you to waive any constitutional rights. This in-brief constitutes a description of [Department of War] policies.”

“Members of the news media are not required to submit their writings to [the Department of War] for approval.”

“This in-brief and its Appendices address [Department of War] policy and the potential bases for such a determination and do not prohibit you as a [credential holder] from engaging in constitutionally protected journalistic activities, such as investigating, reporting, or publishing stories.”

With this tantrum over their inability to access intel at will, classified or otherwise, ALL the media except OAN stepped on the biggest rake alive. 

Again for all those journalists in the cheap seats. You DO have Freedom of the Press. You do NOT get to demand unfettered access and jeopardize the lives of our soldiers in your request to report what you deem as news. Furthermore, Freedom of the Press does not include any requirement from anyone that they HAVE to provide you with information. 

The fact that the new requirements have the legacy media in a tizzy tells you everything you need to know about how they’ve operated for the last twenty years or so. 

Feature Photo Credit: classified top secret by Mokee81 via iStock, cropped and modified