Pentagon Restricts Journalist Access to Press Office After Security Reclassification

(MENAFN) The United States Department of Defense has barred journalists from entering its press office after designating the space as a classified area, marking a further tightening of media access within the defense establishment.

The decision was confirmed by Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez, who stated that reporters will no longer be allowed inside the office because speechwriters working for Secretary of War Pete Hegseth frequently handle classified materials in the same location. However, access to senior public affairs officials will still be possible through scheduled appointments.

The move ends a long-standing practice in which journalists could freely enter the press office to communicate with officials, request comments, attend informal briefings, and engage with public affairs staff without escort requirements.

According to officials, the redesignation is intended to reflect the presence of sensitive material within the workspace, effectively shifting it into a controlled-access environment.

The change is part of a broader set of restrictions that have gradually reduced press access to parts of the Pentagon over the past year. These measures include escort requirements inside the building and limitations on access to areas that were previously open to accredited journalists.

The latest development comes amid ongoing tensions between the Pentagon and parts of the U.S. media, as officials have moved to tighten control over information flow and internal communications procedures.

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