The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon, attempting to overturn new rules imposed by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that have led to most mainstream media outlets being banished from the building.
The newspaper said the rules violate the Constitution's freedom of speech and due process provisions, since they give Mr. Hegseth the power to determine on his own whether a reporter should be banned. Outlets such as the Times walked out of the Pentagon rather than agree to the rules as a condition for getting a press credential.
Trump administration puts new limits on reporters at Pentagon
The Pentagon press room now includes mostly conservative outlets that agreed to the rules, and representatives from those organisations participated on Tuesday (December 2, 2025) in a briefing with Mr. Hegseth's Press Secretary.
“The policy is an attempt to exert control over reporting the government dislikes,” said Charles Stadtlander, spokesman for the Times. The newspaper filed the case with the U.S. District Court in Washington on Thursday (December 4, 2025).
