Pete Hegseth Defends Pentagon Press Restrictions in Fox News Interview: They ‘Can SQUEAL All They Want!’
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth slammed the “disgusting” actions by journalists who try to get a hold of classified information in the form of leaks from Pentagon employees — and defended restrictions the DoD is imposing on the press.
Hegseth spoke with Fox News anchor Peter Doocy — in an interview taped for The Sunday Briefing at the Navy vs. Air Force football game.
“When someone is providing information that’s otherwise classified or otherwise not for disclosure, that’s a problem. So, we’re doing everything we can protocol-wise to make sure those are minimized,” Hegseth said.
“Unfortunately, we live in an era when people do things like that. Journalists solicit things like that, which I think is disgusting when journalists are saying, ‘Hey send us classified information.’ That’s why we have a policy at the Pentagon that journalists will have in the building, too. We obviously take this very seriously. And, leaks are a problem, and we’re going to try to address it.”
Hegseth continued:
We’re setting clear rules at the Pentagon. We’re not playing games. We’re not allowing everyone to roam around the building. You know, that was the policy before? As a Pentagon reporter, you could just walk around the building. No badge, no escort, no nothing. Walking off, just talking to anybody. Who knows where there’s classified information? We’re making the rules more like you might say, the White House.
Hegseth added, “The Pentagon press corps can squeal all they want. We’re taking these things seriously. They can report, they just need to make sure they’re following the rules.”
Hegseth’s assertion drew quick feedback from some current Pentagon and White House journalists. Dan Lamothe of The Washington Post posted to X, “Numerous falsehoods here. 1) Pentagon reporters have not “roamed” without badges. Credentials long in place. 2) Journalists generally have asked for *tips,* not classified information. 3) Journalists did not wander into classified spaces. They’re closed, as you would expect.”
Hugo Lowell with The Guardian wrote, “Sorry but that’s pretty disingenuous. Pentagon reporters already wear a badge and the comparison to the WH is so inapposite. For instance, Pentagon has foreign mil officials freely walking around in corridors which are unclass areas; neither of which is true for the West Wing.”
Watch the clip above via Fox News.
