No journalists signed the initial memo, and the Pentagon distributed a new version Oct. 6. Despite some initial media reports framing the revised rules as being more relaxed, journalists and First Amendment advocates say the updated memo is just as dangerous. While it clarifies that journalists do not need to submit their writing to the Department of Defense for approval, it warns that journalists who "solicit" federal employees to disclose information that has not been approved for release may lose their press credentials.
For generations, Pentagon reporters have provided the public with vital information about how wars are fought, how defense dollars are spent, and how decisions are made that put American lives at risk. That work has only been possible because reporters could seek out facts without needing government permission. If the news about our military must first be approved by the government, then the public is no longer getting independent reporting. It is getting only what officials want them to see. That should alarm every American.