Press credentials as censorship lever

The Pentagon will require reporters to pledge not to gather any information unless it’s pre‑approved—even if it’s unclassified—and can revoke credentials for violations. This shifts control from classification law to administrative access, deterring routine newsgathering under threat of losing the beat. It normalizes policy‑based press constraints without court review. — Turning access credentials into enforcement tools blurs the line between transparency and control, setting a precedent that could chill investigative reporting across agencies.