The Pentagon has blocked reporters from covering at least two briefings by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran. The decision was made after press photographers published what Defense Department staff deemed “unflattering” photos of Secretary Pete Hegseth, The Washington Post reported.
Photographers blocked for unflattering photos
Photographers from the Associated Press, Reuters and Getty Images were banned after the media houses published photos of Hegseth speaking to the media after a March 2 news conference with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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But according to Hegseth’s staff, they did not like how the minister looked in those photos, and photographers were not allowed to attend subsequent press briefings on the US-Iran conflict on March 3 or March 10.
What the Pentagon said
Pentagon spokesman Kingsley Wilson said in a statement that in order to use the briefing room “efficiently,” only one representative per uncredited news outlet is allowed inside.
“Photos from the briefings are immediately posted online for the public and the press to use. If this hurts the business model of certain news outlets, then they should consider applying for press credentials at the Pentagon,” Wilson wrote.
Hegseth vs the media
Before being appointed Secretary of Defense, Hegseth was a host on Fox News for more than a decade, where he also co-hosted Fox & Friends Weekend, among other shows.
His positions on various issues are said to have influenced several of Trump’s policy decisions during his first term and secured him the position of Secretary of Defense in his second term, despite having no previous administration experience.
Throughout his tenure, Hegseth maintained an uneasy relationship with the media, including public clashes with reporters from CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
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In 2025, the Pentagon implemented a new media rule that required authorized sources to agree to a new policy that said reporters could not collect or publish information from the Department of Defense that was not specifically authorized.
This includes declassified information or off-the-record conversations, regardless of where the information was obtained.
Several media outlets, including Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, NBC News, The Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, among others, refused to sign the agreement, resulting in the loss of their press accreditation at the Pentagon.
According to The Associated Press, they were replaced at the Pentagon by a newly established press corps that agreed to the rules and largely works for the pro-Trump media.
The Pentagon gives passes to reporters who vacate their Pentagon desks to attend Hegseth’s briefing on the war.
Clash over coverage of the US-Iran conflict
Trump officials, including Hegseth and White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, also clashed with reporters over coverage of the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
On the NYT’s coverage of the war in Iran and the bombing of a girls’ school that killed an estimated 175 people, Leavitt said the Trump administration would not be bothered by The New York Times.
Read also | US responsible for strike on Iranian school that killed 160, mostly girls: NYT
The NYT reported that the administration’s preliminary findings concluded that the United States was responsible for the school bombing based on “outdated information.”
Key things
- Media access to government briefings can be influenced by the aesthetics of images of officials.
- The Pentagon tightened press regulations and restricted the flow of information to the media.
- The relationship between the Trump administration and the media remains contentious, affecting coverage of critical issues.
