Tensions between the Pentagon and mainstream US media were exposed again this week, after several news organizations with millions of readers were denied access to unusual conferences with top defense officials. The sessions were intended exclusively for a new group of journalists selected by the Minister of Defense. Pete HegsethAmid growing questions about the Ministry of Defense’s lack of transparency.
Both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees Investigations into military attacks began Americans against the alleged Drug traffickers in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific Ocean. Public interest in obtaining clear information has increased, despite decreased access to official spokespeople.
Hegseth’s team presented the lectures as part of special mentoring activities aimed at revamping the Pentagon’s press corps. Comprised mostly of conservative media Who accepted a new set of internal rules. The agenda includes a session with Pentagon spokesman Kingsley Wilson and another with Hegseth himself.
Most traditional media outlets gave up their places in the building during the fall after being asked to accept rules that, according to the Department of Defense, He sought to prevent the publication of confidential information. Many newsrooms interpreted the new provisions as an attempt to limit their work and tie their coverage to content approved by the secretary.
Despite the lack of physical access, journalists continued to cover sensitive issues associated with the Pentagon. last week, The Washington Post It was reported that Hegseth ordered a second attack in September against a boat carrying suspected drug smugglers Not all crew members died in the first bombing. The report emerged after President Donald Trump claimed that his defense secretary denied issuing the order, an accusation that some critics described as a potential war crime if it turned out to be true.
This Monday, like the media Associated Press, CNN, Reuters, Newsmax And his own mail They confirmed that they had requested special permission to attend conferences, to no avail. Agence France-Presse He also received a rejection. Its North American regional director, Mark Lavin, warned that rejecting organizations with a history of strict Pentagon coverage weakens transparency toward the taxpayers who fund the military budget.
The Department of Defense press office identified Wilson’s activity as a “special orientation event.” Limited to accredited press under the new rules. He did not clarify whether this model would be applied in the future. The conferences were regular and open, although they had rarely been held since the beginning of Trump’s second term. It is also unknown whether the sessions will be accessible via live webcast; Agence France-Presse He reported that he received resounding rejection of this possibility.
Meanwhile, new borrowers celebrated their entry on social media. Conservative activist Laura Loomer posted a photo in the press room and noted that she was occupying the office she had previously used. The Washington Post. Alexandra Ingersoll and former Congressman Matt Gaetz are both credited One America NewsThey also started activities. For some, this change opens a phase of greater political consensus within the Pentagon, and for others, it is a setback in terms of access to public information.
With information from the Associated Press.