Updated December 4, 2025 at 7:50 AM PST

The New York Times sued Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday over the Pentagon's new policy that requires media outlets to pledge not to gather information unless defense officials formally authorize its release.

That policy, unveiled in September , includes a ban on credentialed journalists reporting even unclassified material that isn't expressly approved for public consumption by Defense Department brass. The Times said the Pentagon policy represents an attempt to force reporters to rely solely upon officials for news involving the military and would unlawfully permit their punishment for failing to do so.

The Times — and NPR — are among the organizations that chose to give up their press passes rather than agree to the policy.

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