U.S. defense chief restricts press access to Pentagon amid leak concerns

Hegseth also announced the move on X, citing national security concerns.

“While the department remains committed to transparency, it is also obligated to protect CSNI and other sensitive information whose unauthorized disclosure could endanger the lives of U.S. service members,” the memo states.

Under the new rules, reporters are now confined to a designated area on one floor of the building. Access to other locations — including the offices of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the public affairs divisions of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Space Force — will require official approval and an escort. Even the Pentagon gym is off limits.

According to the updated policy:

• Journalists are barred from visiting the office of Gen. Dan Kane, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, without Hegseth’s direct authorization and the presence of his aides
• All press credentials will be reissued with the word “PRESS” clearly marked
• Several major news outlets, including CNN and The New York Times, have lost their office space in the building.

Hegseth said the restrictions are meant to safeguard national security amid a rise in leaks, including of unclassified material. But critics argue the move is aimed at silencing the press. The Guardian reported that the Pentagon Press Association has condemned the changes as an attack on press freedom.

On April 20, The New York Times reported that Hegseth had shared classified details about U.S. military strikes on Yemen in a Signal chat group.

According to the paper, the chat included about 10 people, among them Hegseth’s wife — a former Fox News employee — as well as his brother and his attorney.

Pentagon press secretary Sean Parnell denied the report, accusing the media of trying to “destroy anyone who supports the president’s agenda.”

That same day, The Washington Post revealed that over 11,000 employees at the General Services Administration had been granted access to classified blueprints of the White House. Officials reportedly shared a folder of sensitive documents via Google Drive with the entire GSA workforce.

On March 24, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg said he had been accidentally added to a Signal chat in which senior Trump administration officials discussed preparations for a strike against Houthi militants in Yemen.

Hegseth denied that military planning had been discussed in the group chat, claiming it contained “no classified information, no names, and no locations.”

On April 21, President Donald Trump defended Hegseth, saying he was “doing an excellent job” despite “criticism from disgruntled former staffers.”

That same day, Hegseth lashed out at the media and its sources following the leaks about his use of Signal to discuss sensitive military matters. He accused journalists of “spreading false information,” relying on “anonymous sources” and “bitter former employees determined to destroy reputations without mercy.”