A U.S. District Judge has found the Department of Defense (DOD) in violation of a previous court order concerning press access to the Pentagon. The DOD intends to appeal the ruling.

Court Upholds Press Freedom

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman issued the ruling on Thursday, finding the DOD non-compliant with the earlier order issued in March. This previous order blocked key elements of the Pentagon’s recently implemented restrictive press policy and mandated the reinstatement of credentials for impacted reporters.

Controversial Policy Origins

The dispute centers on Pentagon policies requiring reporters to agree to pre-publication approval of information, even if unclassified. This stipulation, enacted in October, drew criticism from news organizations like HuffPost, who deemed it an infringement on journalistic independence.

Reporters who refused to sign the agreement were denied access to the Pentagon. Following the initial March court decision, the DOD issued a revised policy, which included relocating media offices.

Judge Rejects Revised Policy

Judge Friedman explicitly stated the revised policy remained unlawful, constituting a continued violation of the original court order. He criticized the DOD’s actions, stating, “The department cannot simply reinstate an unlawful policy under the guise of taking ‘new’ action and expect the court to look the other way.”

DOD to Appeal

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced the DOD’s intention to appeal the ruling on X. This appeal underscores the DOD’s commitment to its press policy and its disagreement with the court’s decision. The legal battle highlights the tension between the DOD’s information control efforts and the press’s role in independent reporting.