Journalists vacate Pentagon offices after new sanctions policy rejected

More than 30 news organizations in the United States have refused to sign the Pentagon's new media policy.

Dozens of journalists vacated their offices in the US Department of Defense, and the Pentagon's press area was deserted.

Nearly all journalists leave Pentagon after refusing to sign new press access rules pic.twitter.com/kfbssgQKPc

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Media organizations called the new policy a threat to press freedom and independent reporting. In a statement, they said that restrictions cannot stop the US military from reporting. The Pentagon Press Association has called it a black day for press freedom.

On the other hand, a Pentagon spokesperson claimed that the new media policy is in the interest of national security.

It is pertinent to note that the Pentagon had obliged the media to give an oath not to publish sensitive material, but later the words ‘acknowledge’ were made part of the instructions instead of the oath.

Yesterday, ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News issued a joint statement that was shared on CNN Communications' social media account.

These organizations said the new requirements would limit journalists' ability to inform the country and the world about important national security issues.