The administration of US President Donald Trump has put in place new restrictions on journalists’ reporting on the country’s military, including a pledge to refrain from publishing unauthorised information.
Reporters could lose their credentials covering the military if they refused to sign a pledge appointing only to disclose approved information under the new regulations released by the Department of War, which was previously the Department of Defense.
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The New York Times published a memo stating that “an appropriate authorizing official must approve any release, even if it is unclassified,” following its publication on Friday.
The Pentagon building’s interior is also restricted by the measures, which also make it impossible for journalists to travel inside without an escort.
Following a report on the changes, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated in a post on X that “the people do not run the Pentagon.”
“The press is no longer permitted to roam a secure facility.” Wear a badge, abide by the rules, or leave.
The changes were condemned as an attack on independent journalism by National Press Club president Mike Balsamo, who said it was “at the point where independent scrutiny matters most.”
The public is no longer receiving independent reporting if the news about our military must first be approved by the government. It receives only what the authorities want them to see. Every American should be alarmed by that, Balsamo said in a statement.
Democracy requires independent reporting on the military. It allows people to hold leaders accountable and allows for the interpretation of war and peace.
The restrictions were condemned by a number of media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Reuters News.
The US Supreme Court’s precedent, according to Seth Stern, director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, affirms the journalistic authority to release government secrets.
“An investigative journalist’s job description is essentially that. According to Stern, the law makes it clear that the government can’t impose conditions on people to subcontract out a constitutional right, such as the right to obtain and publish secrets, in exchange for benefits like access to government buildings or press credentials.
This rule applies to publications, which are regarded as the most serious First Amendment violations. The government can’t, as we found out in the Pentagon Papers case, forbid journalists from sharing public information merely by claiming that it’s a secret or even a threat to national security.
The Supreme Court’s decision in 1971, which allowed The New York Times and The Washington Post to publish secret documents detailing US involvement in the Vietnam War, is referenced in the Pentagon Papers case.
The US government has recently instituted a number of measures to restrain the media under the new restrictions put in place by the Trump administration.
After the FCC’s head threatened regulatory action over remarks the host made about the assassination of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the ABC announced on Wednesday that it had suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s long-running talk show.
Brendan Carr, the FCC chair, has suggested that there might be more steps being taken to repress voices that criticize the administration.
Carr, a Trump appointee, stated in an interview with Fox News on Thursday that broadcasters would continue to be held accountable for their public interest and that those who disagree could “turn their license in.”
Following similar lawsuits against CBS News, ABC News, and The Wall Street Journal, Trump filed a $ 15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times that included allegations of defamation.
A Florida judge upheld the lawsuit against The New York Times on Friday, finding that it was based on “tendentious arguments” and contained “repetitive” and “laudatory” praise of Trump unrelated to the case.
Source: Aljazeera
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