The Department of War announced on Wednesday the “the next generation of the Pentagon press corps,” which includes The Gateway Pundit, after left-wing legacy media reporters turned in their badges in protest of new policies at the Pentagon.
Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs and Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a press release that over 60 journalists from independent and conservative outlets will replace the leftwing media outlets that stormed out of the Pentagon.
“New media outlets and independent journalists have created the formula to circumvent the lies of the mainstream media and get real news directly to the American people,” he stated, slamming the “self-righteous” mainstream media for choosing to “self-deport from the Pentagon.”
Full statement below:
Today, the Department of War is announcing the next generation of the Pentagon press corps.
We are excited to announce over 60 journalists, representing a broad spectrum of new media outlets and independent journalists, have signed the Pentagon’s media access policy and will be…
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) October 22, 2025
The Gateway Pundit is proud to join outlets like Real America’s Voice, Turning Point USA Frontlines, The Post Millennial, Timcast, LindellTV, Human Events, The National Pulse, RedState, and the Washington Reporter as some of the new outlets that will be represented in the Pentagon.
This comes after the Department of War implemented new policies that legacy media reporters refused to follow.
Members of the media were asked to agree to increased security protocols, including the wearing of badges that clearly identify them as press, and restrictions to certain areas within the Pentagon. The new regulations also prohibit reporters from soliciting “classified national security information” and “controlled unclassified information,” including law enforcement-sensitive information and some operational security information.
It cautions members of the media against soliciting military members and civilian employees to commit criminal acts, relating to leaking confidential information, which the Department reasons “poses a security risk that could damage the national security of the United States and place DoW personnel in jeopardy.”
The agreement explains that “the receipt of unsolicited CNSI or CUI and its subsequent publication is generally protected by the First Amendment and would not, on its own, normally trigger denial, revocation, or non-renewal of a PFAC. However, if you solicit the disclosure of such information or otherwise encourage DoW personnel to violate laws and policies concerning the disclosure of such information, such conduct may weigh in the consideration of whether you pose a security or safety risk.”
“Members of the news media are not required to submit their writings to DoW for approval. However, they should understand that DoW personnel may face adverse consequences for unauthorized disclosures (see, e.g., Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 92 (10 U.S.C. 892); 18 U.S.C. 1905; 5 U.S.C,” the memo further reads.
“While the Department remains committed to transparency, the Department is equally obligated to protect CNSI and sensitive information — the unauthorized disclosure of which could put the lives of U.S. Service members in danger. To attain professional balance between press access and OPSEC, the following updated security measures for resident and visiting press are needed to reduce the opportunities for in-person inadvertent and unauthorized disclosures.”
Press credentials may be revoked if one is “reasonably determined to pose a security or safety risk to DoW personnel or property” for acts including treason and other criminal offenses.
President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth commented on the new guidelines during a recent press conference, where Hegseth explained that the policy “simply says, maybe the policy should look like the White House or other military installations, where you have to wear a badge that identifies that you’re press, or you can’t just roam anywhere you want… or also that if they sign on to the credentialing, they’re not going to try to get soldiers to break the law by giving classified information. So it’s common sense stuff, Mr. President, we’re trying to make sure national security is respected, and we’re proud of the policy.”
“It used to be, Mr. President, the press could go anywhere, pretty much anywhere, in the Pentagon, the most classified area in the world,” he said.
WATCH:
As The Gateway Pundit reported, reporters turned in their press badges last week in a petty show of defiance, claiming that the new rules “make it impossible to do independent journalism” and “criminalize” their reporting.
Because they don’t like the new policies, which are agreeable to any reasonable person, they have decided to no longer show up and even try to report the news. Good riddance!
“Today, the Defense Department confiscated the badges of the Pentagon reporters from virtually every major media organization in America. It did this because reporters would not sign onto a new media policy over its implicit threat of criminalizing national security reporting and exposing those who sign it to potential prosecution,” the Pentagon Press Association claimed in a statement after reporters willingly handed over their badges.
“The Pentagon Press Association’s members are still committed to reporting on the US military. But make no mistake, today, Oct. 15, 2025 is a dark day for press freedom that raises concerns about a weakening US commitment to transparency in governance, to public accountability at the Pentagon and to free speech for all.”
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