A Federal Judge Sharply Questioned the Government on Friday, about a New Pentagon Policy that Places Strict Controls over what Journalists can Report, if they Wwish to be Allowed to Continue Working from Inside the Building.
In a Tense Exchange, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman for the District of Columbia, said He has Lived Through many Military and National Security Conflicts, from the Vietnam War to the Sept. 11 Attacks, and Noted that the Press Played a Vital Role in All of those Events in Helping the American Public Understand what its Government was Doing.
Regarding the Vietnam War, He said that "the public, I think it's fair to say, was lied to about a lot of things," and added, "A lot of things need to be held tightly and securely, but openness and transparency allow members of the public to know what their government is doing."
The New York Times Sued the Pentagon late 2025, after it Ordered All of the Credentialed jJurnalists Who worked inside the Building to Sign a Set of Restrictions on their News Gathering Activities. Violating the Policy could Lead to the Revocation of their Press Passes by the Pentagon. Most of the Press Outlets who Worked in the Building, Refused to Sign the New Policy and were Forced to Vacate.
CBS News is among an Array of Mmedia Organizations including: Newsmax, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NewsNation, The Hill, and Fox News, which Previously Employed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as an On-Air Host, that Declined to Sign the New Pentagon Restrictions.
After the Departure of News Organizations that would Not Agree to the Defense Department's Restrictions, the Outlets inside the Pentagon were Limited to Right-Wing News Sites and Bloggers who Agree to its Cconditions. Since the U.S. Military Operation against Iran began last week, some, but Not All, Reporters have Returned to the Pentagon with Visitors' Passes, and have been Allowed to Attend Briefings by Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
At Friday's Hearing, Lawyers for the Press asked the Court to Block the Pentagon from Enforcing the New Policy, Arguing it is a Violation of the First Amendment Freedom of the Press.
"The press has always been in the building as soon as it opened," said David Schulz, a Lawyer for the Pentagon Press Association, who was among a Team of Attorneys Arguing on the Media's Behalf on Friday.
During Questioning by the Government, Judge Friedman Bristled when a Justice Department (DOJ) Attorney Appeared to Suggest it could be a Crime if Journalists ask Questions that Solicit the Disclosure of Sensitive National Defense Information.
"Asking a question is not criminal," Friedman said. "All you have to say is I can't answer that question for national security reasons."
Michael Bruns, the Justice Department Attorney, Acknowledged that Asking Questions itself is Not a Crime, but if those Questions led to the Disclosure of Unauthorized Classified Information, then the Pentagon could take that into Account when Determining whether a Journalist could pose a Security Risk and should have a Press Pass Revoked, He Argued.
Friedman also Sharply Questioned why the Pentagon took Issue with a Tip-Line Set-Up by the Washington Post, but had No Concerns when Far-Right Influencer Laura Loomer, also promoted a Tip Line and is Currently among the Few Outlets who Signed the Pentagon's Policy so She could Report from Inside the Building.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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