On October 22, 2025, the Pentagon unveiled a seismic shift in how it manages press access, ushering in a new era dominated by right-wing media outlets, influencers, and a handful of controversial figures. The move, announced by chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, came on the heels of a dramatic walkout by legacy journalists—those from major networks and newspapers like The New York Times, CNN, and The Associated Press—who refused to sign a newly instituted, 21-page media access policy under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“Today, the Department of War is announcing the next generation of the Pentagon press corps,” Parnell declared on X, formerly known as Twitter. He boasted that over 60 journalists, representing what he called “a broad spectrum of new media outlets and independent journalists,” had agreed to the Pentagon’s new rules. But the reality, as reported by multiple outlets including The Hill and AP, is that this new corps is overwhelmingly composed of conservative-leaning organizations and personalities—many of whom are vocal supporters of President Trump and his administration.
The new policy, which set off the exodus of veteran reporters, requires that any information obtained from the Defense Department—even if unclassified—must be cleared for release by an authorized official. It further warns that journalists could face prosecution for seeking information from sources, a stipulation widely viewed as a threat to national security reporting and press freedom. The Pentagon Press Association labeled the policy “an unprecedented message of intimidation,” according to The Washington Post.
Among the outlets now credentialed to cover the Pentagon are LindellTV, founded by MyPillow CEO and election conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell; The Gateway Pundit, a far-right blog operated by Jim Hoft; Real America’s Voice; Turning Point USA’s Frontlines; The Post Millennial; The National Pulse; RedState; Human Events; The Washington Reporter; and Timcast, the podcast run by Tim Pool. Even Just the News, a site started by John Solomon, is seeking to expand its staff to meet Pentagon coverage demands, as noted by AP.
Fox News, perhaps the most prominent conservative-leaning network, joined other major outlets in rejecting the new rules, as did Newsmax, The Washington Times, The Washington Examiner, and The Daily Caller. In total, 26 previously credentialed journalists from 18 outlets agreed to the new access policy, but the Pentagon declined to release a full list of signatories, The Hill reported.
Parnell’s public statements painted the walkout as a victory over what he called “self-righteous media who chose to self-deport from the Pentagon.” In a post on X, he wrote, “Americans have largely abandoned digesting their news through the lens of activists who masquerade as journalists in the mainstream media. We look forward to beginning a fresh relationship with members of the new Pentagon press corps.”
But for many seasoned journalists, the change raises alarms about transparency and the independence of Pentagon reporting. Barbara Starr, a longtime Pentagon correspondent who retired from CNN, remarked, “But the real price is paid by the American people and the American military families. Military families who have their sons and daughters serving, they want to know everything and they want to know it fast.” She added pointedly, “What is he so afraid of?” referring to Defense Secretary Hegseth.
The new policy’s reach extends beyond just the Pentagon building. The Defense Department also issued a memo instructing all personnel to communicate with Congress only through the assistant secretary of legislative affairs, further tightening information flow and raising eyebrows in Washington.
Supporters of the change, including many of the newly credentialed outlets, argue that the mainstream media has lost credibility. “New media outlets and independent journalists have created the formula to circumvent the lies of the mainstream media and get real news directly to the American people,” Parnell asserted. LindellTV echoed this sentiment in a statement: “From day one, our mission has been to challenge narratives, question power, and report what others won’t. This new chapter reaffirms that commitment and expands our ability to bring vital coverage from the Pentagon straight to the American people—without censorship, without spin.”
Jordan Conradson, White House correspondent for The Gateway Pundit, posted his excitement at joining the Pentagon press corps, vowing to “help restore honest journalism after agreeing to follow basic rules … something the legacy media refuses to do!”
Yet, the backgrounds of some new members have drawn scrutiny. Tim Pool, host of Timcast, was previously paid by Russian Tenet Media to produce divisive political content, according to reporting in The New Republic. Mike Lindell, meanwhile, remains a prominent promoter of false claims about the 2020 election and recently lost a defamation lawsuit related to those statements. The Gateway Pundit has also settled a defamation case with two Georgia election workers after falsely accusing them of rigging the 2020 results.
Critics argue that these outlets lack the experience and independence required for rigorous, critical coverage of the U.S. military. “The Pentagon’s new right-wing press corps is beyond ill-equipped to handle independent reporting,” wrote one columnist, “but when it comes to producing stories that get Hegseth’s approval, it’ll pass with flying colors.”
Meanwhile, those legacy reporters who walked out have not ceased their coverage. They continue to report aggressively on U.S. military operations, including recent strikes in Central America and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, albeit now from outside the Pentagon’s walls. As Maureen Dowd of The New York Times quipped in her column, “Fraidy-Cat at the Pentagon,” the new restrictions seem less about security and more about shielding leadership from scrutiny.
The Trump administration, for its part, has thrown its weight behind the new approach. President Trump has long expressed frustration with critical media coverage, going so far as to sue outlets like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The Pentagon’s press shakeup mirrors this combative stance, with Hegseth’s policies reflecting the administration’s broader war on what it deems “fake news.”
As the dust settles, the American public is left to grapple with what this means for the future of military transparency and press freedom. The new Pentagon press corps may indeed bring a different perspective, but whether it delivers the robust, independent reporting that military families and the broader public rely on remains to be seen.
