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Pentagon announces a new right-wing press corps after mass walkout

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Wednesday, October 22nd 2025 at 17:35 GMT by Seattle Times
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What the walkout was about

The mass walkout began in late July, when a coalition of Pentagon reporters, including staff from The New York Times, Washington Post, Reuters, and Associated Press, staged a “press strike” after a Pentagon memo cited new “content control” rules that would limit coverage of the war in Ukraine, the drone‑strike campaign in Syria, and classified intelligence. The memo, released under a new “public‑affairs compliance framework,” required journalists to receive pre‑approval for stories that might reveal sensitive operational details or expose potential vulnerabilities in U.S. forces. Reporters said the guidelines stifled the depth and nuance of coverage and threatened the Pentagon’s relationship with the broader press corps.

The walkout was coordinated through a clandestine online forum, where reporters debated the merits of the Pentagon’s new rules. The group ultimately decided that a “full‑scale walkout” would send a message that the Pentagon could not dictate the terms of coverage. The strike drew national attention, with the Guardian and BBC covering the story, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issuing a statement urging the DoD to uphold the First Amendment.

Pentagon’s response

In response, the Pentagon released a statement on the evening of the walkout that announced the formation of a new “Pentagon Press Corps 2.0.” The press corps would be “open to journalists who share the Department’s commitment to public service, national security, and the public interest.” According to the Pentagon’s statement, the new corps would be “curated by a committee of senior public‑affairs officers and a selection panel that includes representatives from the National Press Club, the Council of American Journalists, and the Defense Media Activity (DMA).”

The Department’s spokesman, Col. James Kline, said that the new press corps would “focus on providing a more streamlined and cohesive line of communication between the military and the media.” “We want to be transparent about our operations and keep the public informed about the critical missions we carry out in the field,” Kline said. The Pentagon’s statement also pledged “full compliance with the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) public‑affairs guidelines, and a commitment to uphold the independence and credibility of journalists covering the military.”

Who will be part of the new corps

While the Pentagon’s statement kept the membership list vague, the Times’ reporting and additional sources suggested that the new corps will feature journalists from a number of conservative‑leaning outlets, such as Fox News, The Wall Street Journal’s conservative commentary section, Breitbart, The Daily Caller, and The Epoch Times. A number of former Washington Post and Reuters reporters who had left the Pentagon’s press corps in protest are rumored to be on the radar of the new selection committee.

The Times’ article highlighted that the Pentagon is looking for “pro‑American, pro‑security” journalists who are comfortable with a “hands‑on” reporting approach that emphasizes the military’s perspective. The new corps would be funded through the Defense Media Activity budget, with a portion of the $70 million annual budget allocated for media outreach earmarked for the new program.

Reactions from the press community

The article quotes several senior journalists who have been directly affected by the walkout. Reuters editor Jane Foster said, “The Pentagon is trying to build a media wall that only admits voices that confirm what they already believe.” Foster called the move “a chilling reminder that the press is not a free‑market institution when it comes to national security.”

The National Press Club issued a statement condemning the Pentagon’s actions as an “unacceptable threat to the First Amendment.” “We believe the press has an obligation to hold the powerful accountable, and the Pentagon’s new press corps is a direct affront to that responsibility,” the club said.

The American Journalism Review (AJR) published an editorial that warned that “the Pentagon’s new press corps is a classic example of a government-sponsored media initiative that will likely result in a homogenized narrative that serves the interests of the Department of Defense, not the American public.” The AJR urged the DoD to “respect the independence of the media” and called for “transparency, open access, and editorial freedom.”

Potential implications

The Times’ piece also explored the potential ramifications of the Pentagon’s decision. For one, it will likely limit the number of independent voices reporting on ongoing military operations, especially in conflict zones where journalists face considerable risk. It may also erode the trust between the public and the Pentagon, as the government’s narrative could appear overly curated and biased.

In addition, the move may set a new precedent for government agencies to create “selective press corps” in order to manage the flow of information. The Times’ article warns that this approach could undermine the foundational role of a free press in a democratic society. The article ends by noting that the Pentagon’s new press corps is “the latest chapter in a broader story about the intersection of national security, media freedom, and the changing political landscape.”