The Pentagon‘s new restrictions on press access violate the First and Fifth Amendment, a federal judge ruled on Friday, delivering a victory to media outlets that left the complex after they refused to sign the policy.
The decision is a major victory for The New York Times, which challenged the policy, but also media outlets whose reporters had to leave the Pentagon, with some correspondents having reported from there for decades.
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman wrote in his opinion, “The Court recognizes that national security must be protected, the security of our troops must be protected, and war plans must be protected. But especially in light of the country’s recent incursion into Venezuela and its ongoing war with Iran, it is more important than ever that the public have access to information from a variety of perspectives about what its government is doing—so that the public can support government policies, if it wants to support them; protest, if it wants to protest; and decide based on full, complete, and open information who they are going to vote for in the next election.”
A spokesperson for the Pentagon did not immediately return a request for comment.
More to come.
