(WASHINGTON)—PEN America called on the Pentagon today to lift new reporter access restrictions, which ban journalists from many areas of the Pentagon unless they are accompanied by a government escort. The restrictions are the latest attempt by the Trump administration to curtail press freedom and come on the heels of the Pentagon revoking office space for several news outlets earlier this year.
“The Pentagon’s real motivation for limiting reporter access in the building has nothing to do with national security and everything to do with secrecy. These new rules are part of a broader campaign by the administration to suppress a free press, this time under a false guise of security,” said Tim Richardson, Journalism and Disinformation program director. “For decades, Republican and Democratic administrations recognized that Americans deserve to know the inner workings of the federal government’s largest agency. These new measures will only undermine transparency, accountability, and public trust. We call on the Pentagon to lift these overreaching restrictions and restore reporter access, which is essential to our democracy.”
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.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, [email protected], 201-247-5057