A number of prominent news organizations, including The Associated Press and The New York Times, are refusing to agree to updated regulations that mandate journalists not acquire unauthorized material or access restricted areas of the Pentagon without official escort. Several publications contend that these new rules, announced last month by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, infringe upon journalists’ First Amendment rights.

The Pentagon Press Association, which represents reporters from various outlets covering the Department of War, stated that the revised regulations establish “unprecedented restrictions on our ability to report the news,” and that a refusal to comply with such terms would “end our historically-held access to the Pentagon.”

The Association further asserted that the new policy “conveys an unprecedented message of intimidation to everyone within the DoD, warning against any unapproved interactions with the press,” including suggestions that such activities might be illegal.

Restrictions are also placed on obtaining press passes.

On Monday, several outlets confirmed their refusal to sign the updated rules. News organizations have been given a Tuesday deadline to accept the new conditions.

“The proposed restrictions undercut First Amendment protections by placing unnecessary constraints on gathering and publishing information,” said Matt Murray of The Washington Post. He added that journalists will continue to “vigorously and fairly report” on the Pentagon and policy across the Trump Administration.

Richard Stevenson, Washington Bureau Chief for *The New York Times*, stated that the reform “threatens to punish them [journalists] for ordinary news gathering protected by the First Amendment.” Stevenson further noted, “The public has a right to know how the government and military are operating.”

Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of *The Atlantic*, declared: “We fundamentally oppose the restrictions that the Trump Administration is imposing on journalists who are reporting on matters of defense and national security.”

For each of the statements above, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth offered no specific reply.

In response to Hegseth’s position, a rhetorical question was posed: “Is this because they [*The Atlantic*] Can’t roam the Pentagon freely? Do they believe they deserve unrestricted access to a highly classified military installation under the First Amendment?” This was accompanied by an AI-generated image of a child crying, wearing a shirt that reads “Atlantic”. The answer given was: “Yes.”

Other organizations declining to sign include CNN, Reuters, HuffPost, and the specialist military trade publication, Breaking Defense.

Earlier this year, Goldberg indicated that he had mistakenly been added to a chat group on the messaging service Signal in which high-ranking Trump officials, including Hegseth, were discussing sensitive military operation details.

When asked about the chat, a statement was issued: “Nobody was texting war plans. And that’s all I have to say about that.” Goldberg reported that Hegseth had, however, published specific details about a series of U.S. airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

The Pentagon Press Association added in its statement last week that “every administration going back to Eisenhower – including the first Trump Administration – has allowed the same level of access. This press access has never precipitated the kind of national security crisis feared by the current leadership of the department.”

Hegseth’s team has communicated that reporters who do not formally acknowledge the policy in writing by today (Tuesday) must surrender their press badges and clear their desks by the following day, as reported by The Associated Press.