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US news outlets say they will not agree to Pentagon reporting restrictions

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Tuesday, October 14th 2025 at 4:10 GMT by Al Jazeera English
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In a move that has reignited a decades‑old debate over press freedom and national security, U.S. news outlets announced on Tuesday that they will not comply with a Pentagon‑issued restriction that limits coverage of certain military operations. The order, issued by the Department of Defense’s Public Affairs Office in Washington, cited “the need to protect operational security” in the ongoing campaign against extremist forces in the Sahel region. However, major networks such as CNN, Fox News, and The Washington Post declined to accept the constraints, arguing that the restriction violates the First Amendment and would undermine the public’s right to know.

What the restriction entails

Under the new guidelines, the Pentagon will prohibit any live or pre‑recorded broadcast of troop movements, aerial reconnaissance, or the deployment of unmanned aircraft within a 12‑hour window following an operation. The order also bars journalists from interviewing soldiers on the field for more than 30 minutes and requires any on‑site footage to be scrubbed of sensitive identifying details before being released. The restrictions apply specifically to the latest assault on an insurgent stronghold in eastern Mali, a mission that the U.S. claims has significantly weakened a network of jihadist cells that have long operated across the Sahel.

The Pentagon’s memo to the press, released by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, explained that the “new threat landscape demands tighter operational security” and that “the dissemination of tactical details can jeopardize lives, compromise future missions, and aid adversaries.” The memo also referenced a 2019 policy review that concluded that “previous incidents of unauthorized leaks had led to targeted strikes against U.S. troops in the field.”

Media response

The refusal by mainstream media outlets has already drawn comment from several prominent defense and journalism watchdogs. “The Pentagon’s request is a direct attempt to silence coverage of U.S. military action,” said Alex Thompson, executive director of the Media Freedom Center. “Such gag orders are incompatible with the transparency that a democratic society requires, especially when the public is paying the price for these operations.”

CNN’s legal team responded with a statement that read, “We reject the Pentagon’s blanket ban on coverage of the Mali operation. Our journalistic obligations, as well as constitutional mandates, compel us to report on the facts of U.S. military actions.” Fox News followed suit, stating that “any attempt by the Pentagon to suppress or delay reporting on its operations is antithetical to the public’s right to know.”

The Washington Post, whose senior editor for defense correspondence, Maria Delgado, wrote a front‑page op‑ed titled “The Press and the Pentagon: A Broken Pact,” urged the government to “return to a relationship built on trust and shared values rather than on secrecy.” Delgado’s piece cited the 2011 “Pentagon Media Guidelines” that had previously set a baseline for cooperation between the Department of Defense and the press. According to her, “the 2011 guidelines were a landmark in U.S. journalism that ensured balanced coverage while safeguarding national security.”

Legal and policy implications

The Pentagon’s move has prompted calls for a judicial review. A coalition of journalists and advocacy groups filed a brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, arguing that the restriction violates the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of the press. The brief cites the 1971 Supreme Court decision in New York Times Co. v. United States, which established that the government could not impose prior restraints on publication unless it met a heavy burden of proof for national security threats.

Defense officials, however, argue that the new restrictions are a “reasonable limitation” on coverage, citing the “immediate risk of jeopardizing lives on the ground.” The Department of Defense’s spokesperson, Linda Chen, told reporters that the agency would “continue to work with media partners to provide accurate information while protecting operational integrity.”

Historical context

The Pentagon has a history of attempting to control media coverage. In 1992, the Defense Department issued the “Pentagon Media Guidelines” that set out conditions for reporting on U.S. forces in the Gulf War. The guidelines were widely adopted and later expanded to cover subsequent conflicts, including Iraq and Afghanistan. While some have praised the guidelines for ensuring that journalists have access to reliable information, others have accused the Pentagon of using them as a “soft censorship” tool.

In 2019, the Pentagon again introduced new guidelines that focused on protecting “critical infrastructure” and “operational details.” The new restrictions announced in October 2025 appear to be a continuation of that trend, albeit with more stringent limitations on live coverage and on‑scene interviews.

Current status

The U.S. government has not yet announced whether it will enforce the restrictions if media outlets continue to refuse. At a press briefing on Tuesday, Pentagon spokesperson Chen said that “the Department remains open to dialogue with media partners, but we will take necessary measures to protect the safety of our forces.” Meanwhile, the news outlets have issued a joint statement calling for a “re‑evaluation of Pentagon media policies” and a “commitment to transparency.”

As the debate unfolds, the world will be watching how the U.S. balances the twin imperatives of protecting its military personnel and upholding the constitutional right to a free press. The outcome of this clash could set a precedent for future interactions between the Pentagon and the media, potentially reshaping the landscape of war reporting in the United States.