The Pentagon is changing who gets office space in its building, sparking concerns about how Americans will get their defense news. Starting February 14, 2025, four major news outlets must pack up and leave their longtime work areas.
NBC News, The New York Times, NPR, and Politico are being told to move out. Taking their place will be The New York Post, One America News Network, Breitbart News, and HuffPost. The Pentagon calls this their new “Annual Media Rotation Program.”
The timing has raised eyebrows across Washington. This news came just seven days after Pete Hegseth became Defense Secretary by a close Senate vote. Making things more striking, the Pentagon didn’t tell these news organizations personally – they found out through a group memo.
John Ullyot, speaking for the Pentagon, says they want to give other news outlets a chance to work inside the building. For news organizations like NBC News, this means losing their broadcasting booth that’s specially equipped with technical equipment, phone lines, and a camera – equipment they’ve used for decades to bring breaking news directly to viewers. The memo says they’ll need to clear out in two weeks.
“We’re disappointed,” NBC News said about losing their space. They’ve promised to keep reporting thoroughly, but admitted this creates “significant obstacles” to their work.
The New York Times pointed out why this matters to the public. The Pentagon controls the largest portion of government spending that Congress can adjust each year. It’s in charge of millions of service members and America’s entire military arsenal. The Times said making it harder for reporters to cover the Pentagon “is clearly not in the public interest.”
NPR raised another concern. They reach listeners through local radio stations in all 50 states. This change, they said, makes it harder for millions of Americans to hear directly from military leaders about decisions that affect their communities.
The Pentagon says these news outlets can still attend press briefings and travel with military leaders. But being there day-to-day, talking to sources in person, and having a dedicated space to work makes a big difference in how thoroughly reporters can cover defense issues.
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The changes go beyond just the Pentagon. At the White House , Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said they’re bringing in “new media voices” to briefings. They’re also working to give back press passes to 440 journalists who lost them earlier.
The Pentagon Press Association, which represents journalists covering defense issues, called this move “unprecedented.” They say it singles out professional media groups that have reported on the Pentagon through many presidents, both Republican and Democrat. They’ve asked for a meeting to discuss these changes.
What’s still unclear is how often these rotations will happen. The Pentagon hasn’t said when – or if – the moved-out news organizations might get their spaces back. They also haven’t explained how they chose which news outlets would move in or out first.
The change in press access could affect how defense news reaches the public. Currently, these news organizations have dedicated workspaces in what’s known as the Correspondents’ Corridor, which the Pentagon memo describes as providing “coveted and open access to some of the Department’s top military and civilian leaders.” While the Pentagon says this rotation gives more news outlets a chance at this access, the affected organizations worry it will impact their ability to report thoroughly on defense matters.