"Do you have a sense for why the secretary of Defense seems to be afraid to interact with journalists who cover him? Karl asked. I reject the premise, Johnson replied. Fear is not part of the Secretary of War's make-up, OK? I mean, the guy's only had two briefings since he became secretary of Defense, Karl shot back. He's very transparent, Johnson claimed."
"And they've basically forced the Pentagon press out of the building unless they would agree to sign a pledge that would make it impossible to be independent journalists, Karl said. Johnson argued that Hegseth's public speeches are indicative of his transparency. I can't remember, and I don't think you can either, a Secretary of Defense who has been so transparent, out in the open, talking about priorities, principles and things, Johnson said."
A debate on ABC's This Week featured Jon Karl pressing House Speaker Mike Johnson over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's limited engagement with reporters after a new Pentagon press policy restricted access. Major news organizations declined the policy's restrictions and returned Pentagon credentials, while fringe outlets like OAN complied. Karl argued the policy effectively forced the Pentagon press out and prevented independent reporting. Johnson countered that Hegseth has been transparent through public speeches and visible engagement with troops. Karl emphasized that prepared remarks are not a substitute for taking reporters' questions and traditional briefings.
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