Pentagon confiscates badges of Defense reporters

[Morphine Prince 109,645]

Nearly every Pentagon reporter from almost every major media outlet in America turned in their press badges Thursday, after refusing to endorse the Defense Department's new rules that they say would make it impossible to do their jobs independently.

Why it matters: Press groups say the unprecedented restrictions contravene the First Amendment and echo a concerning trend of press freedoms under attack by the Trump administration.

What they're saying: "Today, the Defense Department confiscated the badges of the Pentagon reporters from virtually every major media organization in America," the Pentagon Press Association said in a statement on Thursday.

"The Pentagon Press Association's members are still committed to reporting on the U.S. military," they wrote.

"But make no mistake, today, Oct. 15, 2025 is a dark day for press freedom that raises concerns about a weakening U.S. commitment to transparency in governance, to public accountability at the Pentagon and to free speech for all."

The Defense Department did not immediately respond to Axios' Thursday evening request for comment.

Driving the news: The Pentagon announced the new restrictions last month, and gave newsrooms until Tuesday to commit to adhering to them.

Media companies broadly rejected the pledge, claiming it would criminalize national security reporting and expose those who sign the contract to potential prosecution.

Outlets including Axios, Fox News, NBC, ABC, CNN, NPR, AP, the Washington Post and the New York Times said they would not sign the pledge, while the conservative cable network One America News (OAN), indicated that it would sign it.

Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/10/15/pentagon-press-reporting-policy-defense-reporters-badges

 

[jacs vs looser 5,121]

So only One America News will get clearance  to report on the Pentagon? Hmm sounds very North Korea to me.

All other media outlets should put out a conjoined statement, but I don't see it happening.

[Alxjcgn 2,195]

Donald Trump is only existing to ruin the American Democracy and dismantle our government... He has created a divisive culture that has only been further extended (so that we focus on those while he continues to ruin the country).

I wish I could trust he is going to be stopped but I don't anymore and I'm starting to lose hope. Welcome to the new America I guess, where we now live in a dictatorship! All because an uneducated prick decided to take vengeance and utilize our own economy to make him look wealthy! 

Disgusting behavior, and even more foul when you realize he doesn't care and only does it for himself until he dies and then to keep his ****-suckers safe from any penalty!

USA 2025: We Have a Pedophile, Rapist, Con-man, Idiot, Cheat, and Bully as President and now you better like it or else! What a horrible way to live and time to be alive in this country 

[Lord Mayhem 3,414]

So no freedom of speech...no freedom of press...how much more of this country is he gonna tear apart? This is starting to feel more and more like North Korea 

[Economy 52,839]

2 hours ago, Alxjcgn said:

Donald Trump is only existing to ruin the American Democracy and dismantle our government... He has created a divisive culture that has only been further extended (so that we focus on those while he continues to ruin the country).

I wish I could trust he is going to be stopped but I don't anymore and I'm starting to lose hope. Welcome to the new America I guess, where we now live in a dictatorship! All because an uneducated prick decided to take vengeance and utilize our own economy to make him look wealthy! 

Disgusting behavior, and even more foul when you realize he doesn't care and only does it for himself until he dies and then to keep his ****-suckers safe from any penalty!

USA 2025: We Have a Pedophile, Rapist, Con-man, Idiot, Cheat, and Bully as President and now you better like it or else! What a horrible way to live and time to be alive in this country 

Unfortunately history has shown when tyrants start to cling to power rather than being stopped early on when its still easier... Nations end up letting it happen and then scramble to try to gain freedom only after the fact when everyone is fed up but is much harder to do so because at that point it now requires a revolution. 

 

In Portugal where I was from, it was the Countries own military that killed the Dictator of the time in 1974 and brought democracy

 

I feel the US military tho would not have the guts to do that because they are very by the book and follow the rule of law (even though they actually don't)

Edited October 16, 2025 by Economy

[PartySick 172,409]

17 minutes ago, Economy said:

Unfortunately history has shown when tyrants start to cling to power rather than being stopped early on when its still easier... Nations end up letting it happen and then scramble to try to gain freedom only after the fact wheb everyone is fed up but is much harder to do so because at that point it now requires a revolution. 

 

In Portugal where I was from, it was the Countries own military that killed the Dictator of the time in 1974 and brought democracy

 

I feel the US military tho would not have the guts to do that because they are very by the book and follow the rule if law (even though they actually don't)

History has shown when fascists peacefully take power (elections) there is no peaceful way to remove them.

[Bling 31,680]

2 hours ago, Economy said:

Unfortunately history has shown when tyrants start to cling to power rather than being stopped early on when its still easier... Nations end up letting it happen and then scramble to try to gain freedom only after the fact when everyone is fed up but is much harder to do so because at that point it now requires a revolution. 

 

In Portugal where I was from, it was the Countries own military that killed the Dictator of the time in 1974 and brought democracy

 

I feel the US military tho would not have the guts to do that because they are very by the book and follow the rule of law (even though they actually don't)

 

1 hour ago, PartySick said:

History has shown when fascists peacefully take power (elections) there is no peaceful way to remove them.

So what you're telling me is

That we're screwed 

[PartySick 172,409]

45 minutes ago, Bling said:

So what you're telling me is

That we're screwed 

Unless we prove to be the exception to the rule.

[Bronco 24,779]

The fact that even Fox refused the terms