Judge halts Pentagon policy requiring escorts for journalists

Judge halts Pentagon policy requiring escorts for journalists The judge asserted that the policy directly violated the First Amendment - Bookmark A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Pentagon's mandate for New York Times journalists to be accompanied by official escorts, delivering a significant blow to the Trump administration’s broader attempts to restrict media access at the Defense Department. U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman in Washington issued a preliminary ruling on Tuesday, asserting that the policy directly violated the First Amendment. This preliminary injunction will remain in effect as The New York Times continues its ongoing legal challenge against the department's restrictive measures. The judicial order did not clarify whether journalists from other news organizations would also receive relief from this specific policy. The newspaper had filed its second lawsuit against the Defense Department in five months this May. These legal battles underscore escalating tensions between the U.S. media and the Republican administration, both in public discourse and within the courts. The Times hailed Friedman’s ruling. “Today’s well-reasoned decision reaffirms the First Amendment rights of the press to cover the Pentagon without restrictions designed to prevent the public from knowing what the military is doing,” said Charlie Stadtlander, a spokesperson. “The court recognized that the Pentagon’s hastily implemented new policy was a clear violation of the Constitution.” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted on X late Tuesday that the department “strongly disagrees” with Friedman's decision. "This ruling strips away reasonable security measures and will make it easier for sensitive and classified information to reach our adversaries.” The Times first sued in December over rules imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seeking to limit media access. The escort policy was implemented in March after a ruling by Friedman that had struck down earlier restrictions. He said they violated the rights of Times reporter Julian E. Barnes and the paper. The following month, the judge ruled that the interim policy violated his March order. But the escort policy remained in place when an appeals court stayed part of Friedman’s ruling while the government appealed. The appeals process is ongoing. The Times and other outlets walked out of the Pentagon in October rather than agree to Hegseth's restrictions. They continue to cover the U.S. military from outside the building. A new press corps approved by the department currently occupies the Pentagon space.