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The Pentagon will drastically change its rules for journalists who cover the Department of Defense, two U.S. officials who are not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to NPR Friday. The move drew sharp criticism from news organizations, who said it violated the bedrock of a free press.

Going forward, journalists must sign a pledge not to gather any information, including unclassified reports, that hasn't been authorized for release.

The Pentagon says those who fail to obey the new policy will lose their press credentials, cutting off access to the headquarters of the largest department in the U.S. Government.

Writing about the shift, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 

 that, "The 'press' does not run the Pentagon — the people do."

 limiting reporters' ability to move freely through the Pentagon without an approved escort — a change that broke years of tradition of both Democratic and Republican administrations.

"The press is no longer allowed to roam the halls of a secure facility. Wear a badge and follow the rules — or go home," Hegseth wrote in the Friday tweet. 

These new restrictions fall in line with the broader policy of the Trump administration to attempt to 

 from outlets who President Donlad Trump has deemed unfair.

Hegseth's decision was quickly and sharply derided by 

 and proponents of a free press, who noted that pre-approval of reportable material would limit the ability of reporters to provide vital news to the public about America's military. 

"This is a direct assault on independent journalism at the very place where independent scrutiny matters most: the U.S. military," National Press Club President Mike Balsamo said 

"For generations, Pentagon reporters have provided the public with vital information about how wars are fought, how defense dollars are spent, and how decisions are made that put American lives at risk. That work has only been possible because reporters could seek out facts without needing government permission."

Thomas Evans, NPR's editor-in-chief, said: "NPR is taking this very seriously. We'll be working with other news organizations to push back. We're big fans of the 1st Amendment and transparency and we want the American public to understand what's being done in their name."

Disclosure: This story was written and reported by NPR Correspondents Quil Lawrence, Alana Wise and David Folkenflik. It was edited by Senior Editor Avie Schneider, Editor Miguel Macias and Deputy Managing Editor Jim Kane. Under NPR's protocol for covering itself, no news executive or corporate official reviewed the story before it was posted publicly.

NPR's David Folkenflik contributed reporting.

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The Pentagon is implementing new guidelines that will require journalists to sign a pledge and agree to report only approved and officially released information.

Defense Secretary Hegseth requires new 'pledge' for reporters at the Pentagon

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