New York Times sues Pentagon again over media access restrictions

The New York Times has filed a second lawsuit against the United States Department of Defense in five months, challenging a policy that requires journalists to be accompanied by escorts while inside the Pentagon.

The newspaper argues that the rule violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects freedom of the press.

“The policy is an unconstitutional attempt by the Pentagon to block independent reporting on military affairs,” Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said.

He said the American public has the right to know how the government and military are operating using taxpayers’ money.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell rejected the claim, saying in a post on X that the lawsuit was an attempt to gain easier access to classified information.

The case marks the latest chapter in an ongoing dispute between the media and President Donald Trump’s second administration.

The Times first sued the Pentagon in December after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth introduced new rules for journalists seeking access to the building.

In March, US District Judge Paul L. Friedman struck down those restrictions, ruling that they violated the rights of Times reporter Julian E. Barnes and the newspaper.

After the ruling, the Pentagon introduced an interim policy requiring reporters to be escorted at all times while inside the building.

In April, Judge Friedman said the new policy also violated his earlier order. However, the escort rule remained in place after an appeals court temporarily suspended part of the judge’s decision while the government challenges it.

The new lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Washington, directly challenges the escort requirement on constitutional grounds.

The Times said the rule is part of a broader effort to limit access for journalists who are unwilling to report only what Pentagon officials approve.

The newspaper called the policy “clearly unconstitutional.”

In its earlier lawsuit, the Times and several other news organizations refused to accept the Pentagon’s new terms for obtaining press credentials and left their workspaces inside the building.

They continue to cover the US military from outside the Pentagon, while journalists approved under the new rules now occupy the press offices.

Parnell said the escort policy is lawful and narrowly designed to protect national security information from unauthorized disclosure.