Name: New York Times sues Pentagon, Hegseth over press restrictions
Uploaded: 2025-12-04T18:41:44.052Z
Duration: 3 min 14 s
Description: The New York Times has sued the U.S. Defence Department and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in an effort to force the Pentagon to abandon its restrictive new press policy. The Times alleges that the policy, rejected by at least 30 news organizations, violates its rights to free speech and due process.

The New York Times has sued the U.S. Defence Department and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in an effort to force the Pentagon to abandon its restrictive new press policy. The Times alleges that the policy, rejected by at least 30 news organizations, violates its rights to free speech and due process.

New York

The New York Times has initiated legal action against the U.S. Department of Defense and Secretary Pete Hegseth, contesting new regulations that require journalists to report only authorized Defense Department information. Most major news organizations refused to comply with the new policy, resulting in their replacement by outlets selected by the Pentagon.

The lawsuit alleges that these restrictions infringe on press freedom and free speech rights. The legal challenge comes amid broader scrutiny of the Pentagon's handling of sensitive information and ongoing controversies involving U.S. military actions and internal communications.

New York Times sues Pentagon, Hegseth over press restrictions

more controversy this morning around the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. The New York Times says it is suing Hegseth and the Pentagon over new rules limiting access to reporters. Let's bring in Willie Lowry. He's following the story for us this hour, coming from our Washington bureau. So Willie, let's talk about this again, an issue we've heard about before, but now of course the Times taking action saying this new policy is unconstitutional. That's right, Angie. This all started back in September when the Pentagon issued these new restrictions on journalists. After some pushback, the regulations were finalized in October. The Pentagon wanted all credentialed journalists to sign a document essentially agreeing to only report on authorized Defense Department releases, meaning no leaks. The vast majority of journalists and news organizations covering the Pentagon refused to sign, and in somewhat dramatic fashion, walked out en masse. They've now been replaced by mostly right-wing organizations and bloggers hand-picked by the Pentagon. And just this week, the Department of Defense held its first press briefing since the new regulations came into effect. Now the New York Times is suing the Department of Defense and Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing that the restrictions are infringing on the Times and its journalists' right to free speech and freedom of the press. And essentially this, of course, as you pointed out, is to sort of prevent any of those leaks to police, if I can call it sort of how the media is reporting things. But have these new rules actually stopped any leaks? Has it been successful, Willie? Not really. Journalists are still being journalists and doing what they do. And this lawsuit actually comes at a time when Hegseth and the Pentagon are under scrutiny over their own handling of sensitive information. U.S. media is reporting that a review from the Pentagon's inspector general found that Secretary Hegseth risked the safety of U.S. troops when he communicated via the messaging app Signal about upcoming U.S. strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen. Back in March, a journalist from The Atlantic had accidentally been added to the messaging chain. Hegseth responded to the IG report on social media saying, quote, no classified information, total exoneration, case closed, Houthis bombed into submission. Thank you for your attention to this report. Now there is also controversy brewing over the Trump administration's launch of more than 20 strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean that have killed roughly 80 people. There's now a bipartisan effort underway on Capitol Hill to try and learn more about the very first strike back on September 2nd, amid concerns that a follow-up hit may have been illegal or even a war crime. It's important to note, Angie, that so far the White House has been defending Hegseth and stands by the Secretary of Defense. Willie, appreciate the update on this. Thank you for this.

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