President Donald Trump and his Department of Defense have limited the media’s ability to report on the U.S. Military. Representatives of numerous news organizations have been going through a back-and-forth with the Pentagon since Sept. 18 regarding the department’s first released set of restrictions in an extended memo. Reporting within the Pentagon before the ruling was consistent and predictable, with relationships between journalists and military officials open but full of tension. Over 100 journalists with credentials to cover the Pentagon have been threatened with their credentials being taken away, killing the messengers who are asking the questions Americans need answers to. 

The memo was first sent on Sept. 18 claiming that the Pentagon was committed to accountability and transparency but soon contradicted itself due to implementing a set of restrictions that drew criticism from news organizations. The content of the memo included clarification on entry points into the Pentagon, parking specifics, and requiring reporters to have their coverage approved by the government. Failure to adhere to the requests would result in a revocation of press passes. 

Director of Advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation Seth Stern has said the memo “operates as a prior restraint on publication which is considered the most serious of First Amendment violations,” for the NYT. The dozens of journalists who cover the military were given one week to decide if they intended to sign the form. Their signature would cement and acknowledge that they had read and understood the agency’s policy. Following the memo, journalists signed a pledge to not gather information such as unclassified reports that have not been released by the government. 

Since then, major reputable broadcast networks have announced that they will not sign to agree to the requests from the Department of Defense. The Atlantic, The Associated Press, The Guardian, Newsmax (Trump aligned outlet), NPR, Reuters, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, NBC News, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, and Fox News Media(Trump aligned outlet) have denied the requests. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has taken to X, clogging feeds with endless tweets about his stance on the matter. “Pentagon access is a privilege, not a right,” he tweeted.

Americans are now found directionless on where to find out where their tax dollars are going, updates on the Pentagon and government decisions that heavily concern their families on the frontlines of war. With no reporters to ask the hard-hitting questions, the answers are now found on the meticulously edited videos and interviews that the Pentagon releases. 

Censoring the press has been attempted by the administration numerous times through lawsuits against reputable media outlets. Just recently Trump sued the New York Times for defamation claiming that journalists attempted to undermine his suitability to become president. He also sued The Washington Post for releasing a perverted birthday card Trump had sent to Jeffery Epstein with his signature on the bottom. 

He can’t seem to stop suing outlets that release anything that the Administration remotely disagrees on. Let’s not forget that he sued author Timothy O’Brien in 2011 over his argument that Trump was a millionaire rather than a billionaire. Trump is a man who is in constant need of refilling his crystal flute with more and more champagne problems that will ultimately keep revealing themselves inevitably.

The ultimatum that was given to journalists was not only a violation of the First Amendment but also challenges traditional systematic practices within the Pentagon. A journalist’s job is to report to the people, not to protect the government. The government putting restrictions on the press is harmful to a functioning democracy, diminishes government accountability, and disrupts the principles of public discourse. 

Since taking office, he has mirrored his favored authoritarian figures’ approaches on how they handle the media. The Prime Minister of  Hungary Viktor Orban relates heavily to Trump’s media habits. Freedom of the press has declined immensely following Orban’s rise in power in 2010 due to his constant target towards the media. There have been multiple comparisons from Trump to Orban considering Orban has constructed his own media power to adhere to his party’s orders. The Administration is trying to tie Pinocchio strings on the arms and mouths of Americans through intimidating the media. 

Without the complete freedom of press and independent journalism, honest reporting becomes scarce and unreliable, leaving the public in a scramble to stay properly informed. It ensures that the people reading the news stay informed properly and not through government propaganda. When journalists and publications expose wrong-doings by the government, it fulfills their role as the fourth state. 

Freedom of the press is protected by the First Amendment, and it’s critical to hold the government accountable. It serves as a watchdog that can investigate freely on matters that concern the safety and overall well-being of Americans. There have been countless instances in which the press has exposed the government for corruption. 

The New York Times and the Washington Post leaking the Pentagon Papers is one of the most notable instances in journalistic history to expose the corruption of the presidential administration. From Harry Truman to Lydon Johnson’s candidacy, it exposed how mishandled information can damage the trust in Americans towards the administration. They had misled the American public about how the U.S. was performing during the Vietnam War and the likelihood of military success. 

The United States Government then sued the New York Times during a Supreme Court case in 1971. The New York Times won, 6-3 and the primary holding revealed that the First Amendment overrated the government’s interest in keeping chosen documents classified. Following the win, The New York Times and The Washington Post resumed releasing articles regarding the Pentagon Papers.

Reporting on matters that concern the American people and going behind the scenes of an administration is what journalism is all about. After all, what is freedom of the press if not to oppose and question. Finding the exact center of the truth isn’t always so clean and cut. It requires dealing with a plethora of unclassified, classified, sensitive, and even “top secret” data. The government is sometimes at stake – because if someone keeps digging in the cave of “top secret” information and strikes gold, that gold can be found as disgraceful and disconcerting to the people.  

Recognizing the freedom of the press is recognizing that real freedom stems from the ability to access the truth. Journalists keep us informed even if what they are writing is considered unpopular or shakes the floor the government stands on. The American people deserve to know the truth and nothing but the truth when it comes to the government and military operations. Media outlets are dedicated to pursuing the public interest through deep and fair reporting with an unwavering pursuit of the facts.