Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has drawn national attention by brushing off press backlash with a wave—literally, in emoji form.
According to The Hill, major news organizations, including CNN, NPR, and The New York Times, have rejected the Pentagon’s new press access policy, arguing it infringes on First Amendment protections, while Hegseth continues to clamp down on traditional media coverage of the military.
On Monday, Hegseth responded to the social media protests of several critical media outlets by replying with a simple hand-wave emoji, a move critics found dismissive but supporters considered long overdue, signaling that the press doesn’t call the shots anymore.
Media Outlets Balk at Signing Policy
The confrontation began after Hegseth’s office rolled out a controversial set of rules requiring media outlets to sign off on new limitations or risk losing Pentagon access. A long list of mainstream outlets—The Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, The New York Times, NPR, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post—refused to comply.
The backlash came quickly, with each of those organizations posting statements rejecting the policy as overly restrictive and constitutionally questionable.
Hegseth, not one to shy away from a public exchange, replied directly on social platforms by sending a goodbye emoji to posts by The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Judging from the ongoing limitations on access, that wasn’t just a joke.
Press Policies Target Routine Reporting
The new policy allows journalists to report on unclassified and sensitive military topics, but it also redefines standard reporting practices as potential threats by labeling journalists who seek nonpublic information as possible “security or safety risks.”
Even routine activities like requesting tips or encouraging sources to share information now fall under the vague term “solicitation,” putting reporters at risk despite those activities being at the very core of journalism in the absence of formal briefings.
The New York Times didn’t mince words, stating that the guidelines “threaten to punish journalists for ordinary news gathering protected by the First Amendment.” That’s not a tantrum—it’s a legal red flag, though Hegseth doesn’t appear worried.
Hegseth’s History of Pushing Back
This is far from the first time Hegseth has taken action to slim down the Pentagon’s press corps. Back in January, he gave workspace desks to right-leaning news organizations like Breitbart News and OANN—replacing outlets including The Hill and several traditionally left-leaning platforms.
Those media outlets weren’t kicked out of the building completely, but they faced new restrictions, including having limited access to high-demand areas like the Pentagon briefing room—one of the few spots where reporters can reliably access Wi-Fi.
By May, reporters were banned from walking through most Pentagon hallways without an escort, marking a major departure from the Pentagon’s long-held dependence on transparency and mutual access between the military leadership and the press.
Press Association Sounds Alarm
The Pentagon Press Association issued a public notice last week stating that Hegseth and other officials have been “systematically limiting access to information about the U.S. military” since the beginning of the year. That’s not media spin—that’s coming directly from the beat reporters inside the building.
While Hegseth’s critics frame this as an attack on democracy, many see it as a correction to a system long dominated by media interests that have grown too cozy with unsupervised government access and unchecked editorial judgment. A press pass should not grant immunity for partisan spin.
Even Newsmax, a generally friendly outlet, rejected the policy as “unnecessary and onerous,” joining more liberal outlets in pushing back against an approach they view as overly clumsy, if not outright anti-press.
