Overview
- Judge Paul Friedman, ruling Thursday, said the Defense Department defied his March 20 order by reviving unlawful restrictions under new language.
- He struck down interim rules that closed the long‑used Correspondents’ Corridor, required escorts for badge holders, and moved reporters to an off‑site annex.
- The order restores building access for seven New York Times reporters and applies the court’s remedy to all journalists covered by the policy.
- Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the department has complied and will appeal, arguing its revisions fixed the flaws the court identified.
- The dispute began with an October 2025 policy that tied credentials to limits on soliciting disclosures, prompting most outlets to surrender badges and reshaping day‑to‑day Pentagon reporting during active operations in Venezuela and Iran.