Pentagon introduces annual media rotation, kicking out major outlets The New York Times, Politico, NPR affected

The US Department of Defence announced on January 31 that it will implement a new "annual media rotation program" for its in-house press corps, resulting in the removal of several prominent news outlets from their designated Pentagon office spaces.

NBC News revealed that it, along with other news organizations such as The New York Times, National Public Radio, and Politico, has been affected by the change, Caliber.Az reports.

These outlets will be required to vacate their dedicated spaces at the Pentagon.

The news outlets were informed through a memo sent to the press corps, which did not include individualized notifications. An accompanying email stated that "no additional information will be provided at this time."

Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot addressed the change in a memo sent to the Pentagon Press Association, explaining, "For over a half-century, the Pentagon Press Corps has benefited from working out of individual office spaces that provide coveted and open access to some of the Department’s top military and civilian leaders." Ullyot continued, stating that the new initiative aims to "broaden access to the limited space of the Correspondents' Corridor" by allowing news outlets that haven't had dedicated office space in the Pentagon to participate.

The memo further stated that the new “Annual Media Rotation Program” will begin on February 14, 2025. The rotating outlets will be chosen from a mix of TV, print, radio, and online news outlets, with those exiting the space having two weeks to vacate.

Among the new outlets to be granted access are One America News Network (which will replace NBC News), the New York Post, Breitbart News, and HuffPost. Three of these new organizations, One America News Network, the New York Post, and Breitbart News, are considered conservative, while HuffPost leans more progressive.

The timing of the move follows the recent confirmation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was confirmed by the Senate just a week prior amid significant media scrutiny surrounding his conduct, including allegations regarding his behaviour and treatment of women. Hegseth has denied these allegations.

In related news, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the press at her first briefing of the week, emphasizing that the Trump administration is "opening up the briefing room to new media voices."

She pointed out that the first reporters she called on included Mike Allen of Axios, a mainstream political journalist, and Matt Boyle of Breitbart News, a conservative outlet. Leavitt also mentioned efforts to restore press passes to the 440 journalists whose credentials had been revoked by the previous administration.

By Tamilla Hasanova