BySiladitya Ray,
Forbes Staff.
The New York Times sued the Pentagon and its chief, Pete Hegseth, on Thursday, alleging the Defense Department’s new press access rules—which restricts news outlets’ communication with military sources without approval—violated the paper’s First and Fifth Amendment rights.
In a filing made before the D.C. federal court, the Defense Department’s policy “seeks to restrict journalists’ ability to…ask questions of government employees and gather information to report stories that take the public beyond official pronouncements.”
The policy, which news outlets were required to sign to gain access to the Pentagon, states that military personnel needed approval before sharing any information and said the press should be aware that “personnel may face adverse consequences for unauthorized disclosures.”
