(WASHINGTON) – PEN America said today the decision to shut out journalists from covering the Pentagon over their refusal to sign new restrictive credentialing rules represents a “staggering retreat” from long held values of openness and transparency with the media.
The Pentagon’s new credentialing rules were put into place at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. The vast majority of reporters refused to sign on to the new rules, which would have placed significant restrictions on newsgathering.
“For the first time, the public is left without the eyes and ears of an independent press corps inside the Pentagon. By shutting out reporters and curbing access, Defense Department officials are not protecting national security, but shielding themselves from accountability. This move is designed to suppress critical coverage of the nation’s largest federal agency, one with a budget nearing $1 trillion and influence that spans the globe,” said Tim Richardson, journalism and disinformation program director at PEN America. “Had these policies existed earlier, critical reporting on events like Abu Ghraib or the Pentagon Papers might have been delayed or blocked from reaching the public.”
“We are heartened by the solidarity of news organizations standing together in the face of government censorship, and their continued coverage of the Pentagon even without a physical presence inside the building. But this policy represents a staggering retreat from the values of openness and transparency the United States has long claimed to uphold. The Department of Defense should restore full access for the journalists who serve the public’s right to know.”
The Defense Department said in a memo last month it would require reporters to sign a document committing they wouldn’t publish information – even if it’s unclassified – that wasn’t authorized for publication by the Pentagon. Under updated rules last week following public outcry, the Pentagon says it can’t stop journalists from reporting news, but escalated rhetoric around the act of reporting. The Pentagon added dangerous rules under which journalists could be deemed “security risks” and have their credentials taken, in retaliation for simply asking Defense Department employees for information without official approval.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.