WASHINGTON (Realist English). The Pentagon has barred photographers from covering the last two press briefings by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the war in Iran, marking a departure from long-standing media access practices. The Defense Department has not publicly explained the change.
Pentagon spokesman Joel Valdez declined to comment when asked about the decision.
The move comes amid growing tensions between the Pentagon leadership and major news organizations assigned to cover the Defense Department. Several mainstream outlets have vacated their workspaces at the Pentagon rather than comply with new rules introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump, which limit reporters’ movement inside the building and restrict whom they may speak with.
Those outlets have largely been replaced by a newly organized press corps that agreed to the restrictions and includes media organizations broadly supportive of the Trump administration.
Despite the changes, the Pentagon has issued temporary passes allowing journalists from outlets that left their desks to attend Hegseth’s briefings on the Iran conflict. The defense secretary has rarely called on those reporters during briefings, although he did take a question from Eric Schmitt of The New York Times on Tuesday.
The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging the new media access rules. A hearing in the case took place last week before U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman.
“The ability of journalists to report fully on the U.S. military is an essential public service,” said Charles Stadtlander, a spokesman for the newspaper. “This includes photojournalists, who should have access and accreditation to attend Pentagon briefings.”
The Associated Press said it had no immediate comment on the exclusion of photographers. Video cameras, however, are still permitted during Hegseth’s briefings.
Coverage of the war in Iran by The New York Times has also drawn criticism from the White House. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the administration would not be pressured by the newspaper over its reporting on a deadly bombing of a girls’ school in Iran.
An estimated 175 people were killed in the strike, including many students. Leavitt said President Trump would rely on the Defense Department’s investigation into the incident.
“We’re not going to be harassed by The New York Times,” Leavitt said, accusing the paper of publishing claims not yet verified by the Defense Department.
On Wednesday, the newspaper reported — citing anonymous sources — that preliminary findings within the administration indicated the United States was responsible for the attack. According to the report, the strike was carried out using a Tomahawk missile after the military relied on outdated intelligence in selecting the target.
