Washington, D.C. ( The COW News Digital)More than 30 major U.S. news organizations have refused to sign the Pentagon’s new media policy, calling it a direct threat to press freedom and independent reporting. The standoff has led to dozens of journalists vacating their offices inside the Department of Defense headquarters, leaving the Pentagon’s press area unusually empty and quiet.
According to reports, the Pentagon’s revised media guidelines require journalists to acknowledge strict conditions restricting the publication of sensitive or classified content. Initially, the policy demanded that reporters sign a formal “non-disclosure oath,” but following widespread criticism, the word “oath” was replaced with “acknowledgment.” Despite this revision, media outlets say the change is merely cosmetic.
The Pentagon Press Association (PPA) condemned the move, calling it “a dark day for press freedom.” In a strongly worded statement, the association emphasized that such restrictions undermine journalists’ ability to report accurately and hold the U.S. military accountable. “No government policy should dictate the boundaries of truth or transparency,” the PPA said.
Leading networks — including ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News — issued a joint statement shared by CNN Communications on social media, asserting that the new rules would severely limit journalists’ ability to inform the public about matters of national and global security.
“These requirements will restrict our capacity to keep the public informed about crucial defense and foreign policy issues,” the statement read. “We cannot, in good conscience, accept conditions that compromise the principles of a free press.”
Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder defended the new policy, insisting it was designed in the “national security interest” and not intended to stifle the media. “Our goal is to ensure that sensitive information related to ongoing military operations or classified projects is handled responsibly,” he said.
However, media watchdogs and free press advocates argue that the new policy gives the Department of Defense unchecked authority to decide what qualifies as “sensitive,” creating potential for censorship and political manipulation.
The dispute marks one of the most significant confrontations between the U.S. government and the press corps in recent years, reigniting debates about the balance between national security and the public’s right to know.
As of Thursday, journalists from nearly all major news networks had vacated their Pentagon offices, symbolizing a rare and unified stand in defense of press freedom.
