The Department of Defense has removed several major news organizations from their dedicated Pentagon office spaces, opening the door for new outlets that had previously been shut out. NBC News, The New York Times, NPR, and Politico were told to vacate their spaces, with new media organizations set to take their place.
Under the new “annual media rotation program,” One America News, Breitbart News, The New York Post, and HuffPost will move into the vacated office spaces. The move has sparked backlash from mainstream journalists, many of whom have accused the Trump administration of favoritism.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been in office for just one week, has been a vocal critic of the way legacy media covers military affairs. Many conservatives have argued that mainstream outlets misrepresent conflicts and push narratives that do not align with reality.
NBC News, which has maintained a Pentagon workspace for decades, said it was “disappointed” by the decision, while NPR claimed it interfered with its ability to provide “public service journalism.” Politico also criticized the move, calling it an effort to undermine independent reporting.
Despite these objections, the Pentagon has confirmed that all credentialed reporters still have access to briefings, press conferences, and interviews with military leaders. The affected outlets will still be able to cover the Defense Department, just without a dedicated office inside the building.
The Trump administration has pushed for more diversity in media access, arguing that the same outlets have dominated Pentagon reporting for years. Officials have not outlined how long each rotation will last or which outlets may be included in future changes, but this shift signals a new era for press coverage of America’s military.
