Federal judge blocks Pentagon press access policy challenged by The New York Times

What did the Pentagon policy require reporters to do?

Reports say the policy required credentialed journalists to agree to new restrictions to keep access, including limits on seeking or publishing some information without authorization, and some outlets said the rules could expose reporters to being labeled security risks SCMP,USA Today,CBS News.

What did the judge decide about the policy?

Judge Paul Friedman blocked enforcement of the policy and ruled that key parts of it were unlawful, with reports saying he found violations of the First Amendment and, in some accounts, the Fifth Amendment as well U.S. News & World R…,SCMP,WSJ.

Why does the ruling matter?

The decision restores access for reporters affected by the policy and comes as multiple reports say the Pentagon had become less accessible to traditional journalists after the new rules took effect U.S. News & World R…,USA Today,CBS News.