New York Times Reporters Set to Regain Pentagon Access After Court Ruling: Report

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

New York Times reporters will reportedly have their Pentagon press credentials reinstated as soon as Monday after a federal judge struck down key restrictions on journalist access.

The ruling, handed down Friday by Judge Paul Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, found that elements of the Defense Department’s media policy were unconstitutional. The decision ordered the immediate reinstatement of press passes for seven Times journalists.

Status’s Natalie Korach reported that the Pentagon “indicated” late Sunday that the passes would be restored:

Hours earlier a spokesperson for The Times confirmed to Korach that the newspaper was “still waiting to hear back” a day after its “legal department sent a letter to Pentagon counsel today asking for restoration on Monday.”

The Pentagon had initially declined to comment on questions from Status on whether it would reinstate the press passes, pointing Korach to a tweet from department’s chief spokesperson Sean Parnell that said the Pentagon would be appealing the judge’s ruling.

The dispute stems from rules introduced last year that allowed the Pentagon to label reporters “security risks” and revoke access based on conduct it deemed threatening to national security.

In response, dozens of journalists — including from Fox News and Newsmax — surrendered their credentials rather than agree to the terms.

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