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pentagon press op-ed
pentagon press op-ed
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As A Student Journalist, The Pentagon’s Press Restrictions Are Deeply Troubling

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.

On Wednesday, Oct. 15, dozens of journalists walked out of the Pentagon in protest of new regulations placed on the press by Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of War (formerly known as Secretary of Defense). Included in these changes are limitations on press access to members of Congress and certain areas of the Pentagon, government approval of interviews, and mandatory escorts to and from restricted areas for in-person interviews. 

If journalists did not agree to comply with these terms by Tuesday, Oct. 14, they would be stripped of their Pentagon Press Corps badges. As such, major news organizations across a spectrum of political viewpoints pulled out from their regular Pentagon coverage, including The New York Times, Fox News, The Atlantic, and Newsmax. Meanwhile, correspondents from far-right outlets like The Federalist, TPUSA Frontlines, and the Gateway Pundit have joined the Pentagon’s new press corps. 

This is just the latest instance of federal restrictions placed on freedom of the press since President Donald Trump came into office at the beginning of this year — two other major ones have been cutting federal funding to public broadcasting news networks such as NPR and PBS, and dictating which journalists were included in the White House press pool. As a student journalist, it’s infuriating to feel as if I’m just sitting by while restrictions on free press have been normalized. In fact, I’m wondering if I have any future in journalism at all. 

Throughout the history of higher education, student journalists have played a vital role in keeping students informed about issues that will impact them on and off campus, ensuring the voices of students are heard, and holding institutions accountable. As a practicing student journalist, I’ve developed a core set of standards in my work — such as accuracy, accountability, and objectivity. That’s because student journalists are already real journalists, whether they’re freelancing for independent news publications, reporting for school publications, or even just honing their craft in their classes. We are learning firsthand how important it is to report the fair and unbiased truth — with just as much integrity and professionalism as any others. 

Student journalists already face some levels of censorship, especially when writing for a publication that is affiliated with a college or university. I’ve dealt with this myself; at my Catholic college, subjects such as reproductive rights and access to birth control — two topics I’ve always been passionate about — are strictly off-limits to write about for any publication affiliated with my school. Even beyond school censorship and discipline, there have been several cases of student journalists facing physical and legal consequences for their reporting on topics such as Gaza. The normalization of press restrictions like the ones placed on Pentagon reporters will only continue to negatively impact student journalists, because it affects all journalists. As I see it, these restrictions go against our purpose and what we have been taught to fight for. 

In the face of the normalization of censorship, my writing has always felt like a form of activism. But I find myself feeling hesitant writing about hot-button issues because I am forced to worry about the consequences, and how they may affect my future opportunities. But as those who walked out of the Pentagon in their refusal to bend to the current administration’s unethical press restrictions, this work is definitely worth fighting for, especially when the world tries to tell us it’s not.

Grace Khan

Merrimack '27

Grace Khan is a National Writer for Her Campus, as well as a member of the Merrimack College chapter of Her Campus. While double majoring in Secondary Education and English, she is involved in the Merrimack College Honors Program, the Kappa Omicron Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha, and Merrimack’s Panhellenic Council.
Grace writes about culture and politics, as well as the larger impact they have on the way she experiences the world as a woman. She hopes to make an impact through her writing through well-researched informational articles as well as meaningful storytelling. If she’s not writing for HerCampus, she can be found reading, researching for her next article, doing Pilates, and driving to and from campus.