The New York Times will not abide by new restrictions on reporters set by the Pentagon, which require pre-approval before reporting can be published, the paper announced Saturday morning. A spokesperson for the Times insisted such restrictions are “at stock odds with the constitutional protections of a free press in a democracy.”
The Times’ statement reads in full: “Asking independent journalists to submit to these kinds of restrictions is at stock odds with the constitutional protections of a free press in a democracy, and a continued attempt to throttle the public’s right to understand what their government is doing.”
“This is yet another step in a concerning pattern of reducing access to what the U.S. military is undertaking at taxpayer expense. Our journalists will continue to report the facts deeply and fairly,” the statement concluded.
In a 17-page memorandum dated September 18, 2025, the Pentagon issued new documents in support of the May 23 “Updated Physical Control Measures for Press/Media Access Within the Pentagon.”
Though the Department of Defense insists it “remains committed to transparency to promote accountability and public trust,” the document also warned that “information must be approved for public release by an appropriate authorizing official before it is released, even if it is unclassified.”
In addition to requiring approval before reporting is released to the public, the document also removes access to swaths of the Pentagon unless a reporter is accompanied by an approved escort. This is a stark change to previous policy, which allowed unescorted access throughout the building (apart from offices and meeting rooms).
The update comes days after Trump filed a $15 billion lawsuit against the Times. That lawsuit was later dismissed.
