‘What’s going on?’: US judge calls aspects of new Pentagon press policy ‘weird’
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The Bottom Line
Federal judge expressed skepticism about Pentagon's restrictive new press policy, calling aspects of it unusual.
How This Affects You
Restrictive Pentagon media policies limit journalists' ability to report on military operations, affecting the public information available to you about how defense dollars are spent.
AI Summary
Federal Judge Paul Friedman expressed skepticism of a new Pentagon press policy implemented last week, calling aspects of it "weird" and Kafkaesque during a Monday hearing. Friedman had previously struck down key elements of an earlier Pentagon media policy on March 20, but stopped short of ruling on a New York Times motion seeking to force the Pentagon's compliance with his decision. The judge's comments suggest concern about the restrictiveness of the Pentagon's latest approach to media access, though he has not yet issued a final ruling on enforcement. The back-and-forth reflects ongoing tension between the Trump administration's Pentagon and news organizations over press restrictions and transparency in military communications.
What's Being Done
Federal Judge Paul Friedman previously struck down elements of an earlier Pentagon media policy on March 20 and has not yet ruled on enforcement of his decision.
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