U.S. judge blocks restrictive Pentagon press access policy

A federal judge blocks the Pentagon's restrictive press access policy, emphasizing the public's right to diverse information.

A federal judge on Friday (March 20, 2026) blocked the ​Trump administration’s restrictive Pentagon press access policy, which threatens journalists with being ⁠branded security risks if they seek information not authorized for public release.

The lawsuit by the New York Times in Washington, D.C., federal court alleged that policy changes by the Defense Department last year gave it free ‌rein to freeze out reporters and news outlets over coverage the department did not like, in violation of the Constitution’s protections for free speech and due process. ‌The government disputed that characterization and said the policy is reasonable and necessary for ‌national security.

U.S. ⁠District Judge Paul Friedman said in his ruling that he recognized the importance ⁠of protecting troops and war plans but that it was “more important than ever that the public have access to information from a variety of perspectives about what its government is doing” in light of President Donald Trump’s recent “incursion” into ​Venezuela and war with Iran.

The Pentagon ‌and the New York Times did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the ruling. The government is likely to appeal.

The changes approved under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in October 2025 state that journalists can be deemed security risks and have their press badges ‌revoked if they solicit unauthorized military personnel to disclose classified, and in some ​cases unclassified, information.

Of the 56 news outlets in the Pentagon Press Association, only one agreed to sign an acknowledgment of the new policy, according to the ⁠Times’ lawsuit. Reporters who did not sign surrendered their press passes.