Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has made no secret about his animosity toward the media. But his demand that press outlets pledge not to report “unauthorized material” or risk access to the Pentagon is, to put it bluntly, ridiculous. The Trump administration should reconsider.

Virtually every media outlet — including Fox News, no enemy of the White House — has refused to sign off on the new demands, to no surprise. The policy makes no distinction between classified or nonclassified material. It would allow the Pentagon to deem journalists as security or safety risks simply for soliciting certain information from department officials. Media organizations that don’t comply will lose Pentagon press credentials.

Mr. Hegseth maintains that the restrictions will further national security by

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