On Monday, the Defense Department announced it will shut down a long-standing workspace for journalists inside its headquarters, the Pentagon. This comes days after a federal judge ordered the reinstatement of press credentials for reporters from The New York Times. The move has escalated tensions between the media and the military.
According to Spectrum Local News, Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell said the area known as the “correspondents’ corridor,” used by reporters for decades, will be shut down immediately.
“In the interim and in compliance with the court’s order,” he wrote, “I have signed the revised ‘Pentagon Reservation In-Brief for Media Members,’ effective immediately.”
Reporters will be moved to a new external space, but no timeline for when it will be ready was provided.
🚨 UPDATE: New York Times REFUSES to abide by SecWar Pete Hegseth’s new Pentagon press policy that ensures reporters can’t freely roam the halls and access potentially classified or sensitive information
Simple answer: KICK THEM OUT!
“Journalists from the NYT will not sign the… pic.twitter.com/c5zP6cqTUN
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 10, 2025
Soon after the statement was shared online, it received a fair share of criticism from the Pentagon Press Association. They claimed that the decision goes against a recent court ruling. “This is a clear violation of the letter and spirit of last week’s ruling,” the group shared.
“At such times, we ask why the Pentagon is choosing to restrict vital freedoms that help inform all Americans.”
The dispute follows a lawsuit filed by The New York Times against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon. The outlet argued that the new credentialing rules violated constitutional protections, including free speech and due process. Meanwhile, several journalists left the building, signaling they would not accept restrictions on their reporting.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled in favor of The New York Times. He ordered the reinstatement of press credentials for seven of its journalists. Friedman noted that the “undisputed evidence” showed the rules were intended to remove disfavored journalists and replace them with those willing to operate on the government’s terms.
Pentagon Delivers Perfect Malicious Compliance to Activist Judge and Whiny NYT: Media Booted to the Kiddie Table.
The Pentagon just kicked every legacy media workspace out of its secure interior after a Clinton-appointed federal judge ruled Friday that Trump-era restrictions on…
— Linda Runstein (@LindaRunstein) March 24, 2026
After the ruling, Parnell said the Defense Department disagrees with the decision. He assured that the restrictions were made for security concerns, though many journalists have denied these claims.
Hence, with the new rules announced on Monday, reporters will be allowed inside the Pentagon for press briefings and interviews. However, the entire setup will be organized by public affairs officials. Also, they will now be escorted inside the building at all times.
