Pentagon Bars Journalists From Press Office After Declaring It a Classified Facility

The US Department of Defense has barred journalists from entering its press office after redesignating the space as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) , deepening an ongoing dispute over media access to the Pentagon.

Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez said the office was converted into a classified facility because speechwriters from the Office of the Secretary of Defense now share the space and routinely handle classified information . Officials said the office is also being equipped with SIPRNet , the military’s secure network for transmitting classified material, making journalist access incompatible with security requirements.

The change means reporters will no longer be able to freely enter an area that traditionally served as a hub for informal interactions with Pentagon public affairs officials. Access to senior press officials will now be available only through scheduled appointments .

The decision is the latest in a series of restrictions imposed under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth . In October 2025, more than 30 major news organizations surrendered their Pentagon credentials rather than comply with new reporting rules that critics said effectively limited journalists to officially approved information.

The New York Times has twice sued the Pentagon over the restrictions. In March, US District Judge Paul L. Friedman ruled that the Pentagon’s press policy was unconstitutional and ordered it blocked. The Pentagon later introduced an escort requirement for journalists , which Friedman also criticized, though the rule remains in force while the government appeals.

Press freedom advocates sharply condemned the latest move. The National Press Club called it a “troubling escalation,” while the Freedom of the Press Foundation accused Pentagon officials of using security concerns to further restrict independent reporting on military affairs.

The administration maintains the measures are necessary to protect sensitive information and national security, while critics argue they undermine transparency and independent reporting on military affairs .