Reporters put on dramatic display as they turn in Pentagon press passes

Members of America’s establishment press have been having a days-long crying fit over a major policy change at the Pentagon.

The change was made by War Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose new Pentagon press policy restricts reporters’ access to certain areas without an escort and requires them to wear visible badges.

The policy also says that reporters can’t solicit or obtain any intel from the War Department that the department hasn’t authorized.

This policy triggered the press, who responded by making a big stink and refusing to sign the new press policy by the 5:00 pm Tuesday deadline.

They doubled down on Wednesday by showing up at the Pentagon in droves to turn in their press passes and pat themselves on the back:

CNN: “Reporters have been showing up at the Pentagon today & handing in their press passes.”

“This is an extraordinary moment.” pic.twitter.com/9sOFV53nef

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) October 15, 2025

After covering the Pentagon for 35 years, I’m turning in my building badge today rather than submit to DoD’s vague new policies that restrict my right to engage in ordinary and legal news gathering. My Pentagon press corps colleagues and I will continue to inform the public

— Eric Schmitt (@EricSchmittNYT) October 15, 2025

In addition, the so-called Pentagon Press Association released a statement condemning Hegseth’s policy change.

“Today, the Defense Department confiscated the badges of the Pentagon reporters from virtually every major media organization in America,” the association said. “It did this because reporters would not sign onto a new media policy over its implicit threat of criminalizing national security reporting and exposing those who sign it to potential prosecution.”

“The Pentagon Press Association’s members are still committed to reporting on the U.S. military. But make no mistake, today, Oct. 15, 2025, is a dark day for press freedom that raises concerns about a weakening U.S. commitment to transparency in governance, to public accountability at the Pentagon and to free speech for all,” they added.

JUST IN – “Today, the Defense Department confiscated the badges of the Pentagon reporters from virtually every major media organization in America.” – Pentagon Press Association statement pic.twitter.com/il9090vIku

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) October 15, 2025

President Donald Trump has, for his part, signaled that he completely backs Hegseth’s new rules.

“I think he [Hegseth] finds the press to be very disruptive in terms of world peace and maybe security for our nation,” the president told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. “The press is very dishonest.”

President Trump and Secretary Hegseth spoke about the new press policy at the Pentagon:@POTUS “I find that when it comes to WAR, it bothers me to have soldiers and even high-ranking generals walking around with you guys (the fake news) on their sleeve…” pic.twitter.com/2G3kGUFqxa

— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) October 14, 2025

Critics of the policy argue that it won’t allow critics within the Pentagon to air their concerns, especially when their concerns go against the Pentagon’s official story.

In an essay, Tom Bowman of NPR pointed to the many times in the past he’d been tipped off by insiders with information that contradicted the official intel being published by the Pentagon’s bosses.

“They knew the American public deserved to know what’s going on,” he wrote. “With no reporters able to ask questions, it seems the Pentagon leadership will continue to rely on slick social media posts, carefully orchestrated short videos, and interviews with partisan commentators and podcasters. No one should think that’s good enough.”

Pentagon reporter Barbara Starr, another critic, warned CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday that Hegseth’s policy change may backfire on him:

Barbara Starr, longtime CNN correspondent and stalwart of the Pentagon press corps, on Secretary Hegseth’s changes to press policy: “I think he’s about to potentially run into a buzz saw of trouble, because reporters are going to continue to report whether they’re inside the… pic.twitter.com/uVzqE9CpFX

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 15, 2025

“What Hegseth is about to lose, I don’t think he even comprehends,” she said. “He’s about to lose the ability to have communication with millions of Americans who read blogs, read newspapers, tune into TV to get military news, to find out what’s going on, to find out how their tax money is being spent, what the troops are up to, how military families are doing, how women and minorities are doing in the military.”

“He’s going to have a tough time really communicating. And that’s very different than President Trump. As you know, Kaitlan, Mr. Trump likes to talk to the media every day that he’s in office. Hegseth almost never talks to the media,” she added.

Senior Staff Writer
[email protected]

V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.

Latest posts by Vivek Saxena (see all)

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.