A federal appeals court has ruled that the War Department can require journalists to be escorted while inside the Pentagon as the Trump administration continues its appeal of a lower court decision blocking the policy. The move temporarily preserves the Trump administration’s enforcement of a press access rule that has been challenged by The New York Times.
A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit granted the government’s request to pause an April 9 ruling from U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman. Friedman had previously found that the War Department was violating his order by restricting reporter access under a revised credentialing system that effectively bars journalists unless they are accompanied by escorts.
The appellate panel ruled 2-1 in favor of the administration’s request. The majority said the government is likely to succeed in arguing that the escort requirement is legally permissible.
Friedman had earlier determined that the Pentagon’s updated press rules likely violated constitutional protections, including free speech and due process rights. He also found that War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s team appeared to have worked around his March 20 order by introducing new restrictions that forced journalists out of the building unless accompanied by escorts.
