Pete Hegseth's press crackdown is backfiring

[marmar]

Pete Hegseth’s press crackdown is backfiring
Even Fox News is fed up with the Pentagon’s new press restrictions

By Sophia Tesfaye
Senior Writer
Published October 15, 2025 9:05AM (EDT)


(Salon) Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has managed to ignite cross‑ideological media solidarity with his unprecedented attempt to silence journalists.

Today, over 100 resident Pentagon press members who failed to sign Hegseth’s new policy, which restricts reporters to only publish information preauthorized by Pentagon authorities, are required to turn in their passes and vacate the premises. And in a remarkable act of repudiation, the U.S. press corps stands virtually united in defiance of the former “Fox & Friends Weekend” co-host — even his former employer Fox News.

“Well, we’re all standing in solidarity,” Fox News host Bret Baier told his audience after the passing of Tuesday’s deadline to sign the 21-page policy, adding, “almost all of us.”

In what CNN’s Brian Stelter reported as “an impressive show of solidarity,” nearly every major U.S. news outlet — including conservative companies like Fox News, Newsmax and the Washington Examiner — refused to sign the Pentagon’s new press access policy, arguing it undermines the First Amendment. The Associated Press described the act of defiance from Fox News as “a significant step.” Only the right-wing One America News agreed to the new reporting stipulations from Hegseth, with one of the channel’s hosts, former Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, saying the pro-Trump outlet “is happy to follow these reasonable conditions.” .................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2025/10/15/pete-hegseths-press-crackdown-is-backfiring/

[NH Ethylene]

1. That is good news.

And really the only responsible response to this ultimatum.

[Ol Janx Spirit]

2. This feels like a match being lit in the darkness of a vast space... But it is at least a little light. nt

[rurallib]

3. It is enough to make a guy go on a bender

[Skittles]

4. when even rightwing hacks start waking up.....

[sheshe2]

5. Wow!

Even FOX, Newsmax and the Washington Examiner!

Hat's off to you all!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. 'The Daily Show' mockingly agrees to Hegseth's press restrictions

Link to tweet

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5558261-daily-show-hegseths-pentagon-press-rules/

Comedy Central’s “Daily Show” poked fun at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday by mockingly agreeing to his new press restrictions at the Pentagon.

“After serious consideration, The Daily Show has agreed to the Pentagon’s new demands regarding press access,” the show said in a graphic posted on social media. “We were going to refuse, but everyone else rejected it so hard that it honestly made us feel kinda bad for Pete Hegseth.”

The statement went on to say of Hegseth, “the poor guy couldn’t even get Fox News to sign on and he worked for them a few months ago.”

“Even Newsmax refused. Brutal!” it said. “So we’re going to join in. Just so One America isn’t the only signature on this thing. It’s all just too humiliating.”.....

All of the nation’s major news organizations, including The Hill, have refused to sign the new policy, with a number of the major broadcast and cable news networks issuing a joint statement this week blasting the restrictions calling it “without precedent” and saying it “threatens core journalistic protections.”