Pentagon rolls out welcome wagon for new MAGA-friendly press corps

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: msn/The Independent

12h


Right-wing media outlets are set to be welcomed to the Pentagon next week, following the mass exodus of mainstream news organizations earlier this year in protest of government-imposed restrictions on their reporting. The outlets, which include the pro-Trump cable channel, One America News; right-wing website The Federalist; ultra-conservative newspaper The Epoch Times; and others, will be shown around, pick up credentials and meet senior officials,The Washington Post reported.

Events will run Monday through Wednesday, and include a meet-and-greet with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to the outlet, along with a briefing from department press secretary Kingsley Wilson.

Six weeks ago, dozens of journalists packed up their desks and handed in their press badges, rather than comply with new reporting restrictions imposed by Hegseth. Among the new rules is a ban on reporters soliciting any information – classified or otherwise – from government employees without prior authorization from the Pentagon.

The Pentagon Press Association, which represents around 100 journalists, lambasted the “unprecedented message of intimidation” caused by the policy, and urged the department to reverse course over its assault on press freedom. The majority of the press corps departed the Pentagon in the wake of the policy, leaving around 15 reporters.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/pentagon-rolls-out-welcome-wagon-for-new-maga-friendly-press-corps/ar-AA1Rp3e2

[OldBaldy1701E]

1. Well, they would have lied to the press corps, so now they can just lie to those who won't question them. (n/t)

[J_William_Ryan]

2. A classic manifestation of the fascist state.

State-controlled media – in this iteration media that are complicit in the authoritarian state’s agenda of spreading disinformation and lies.

[Hey Joe]

7. Exactly

Hard to believe this is where we are now.
I don’t even recognize my country anymore.
It’s motives, priorities and principles have regressed wildly in the last eleven months.

[underpants]

3. Everybody sing along

Pete Hegseth is a ****ing douche

?si=PtwsXB7kLt5n-0Yl

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220837136

[liberalgunwilltravel]

4. Nobody

Outside their rapidly diminishing cult will believe a word coming out of their ministry of propaganda.

[Karadeniz]

5. Time to sue. Govt cant obstruct freedom of speech or press.

[COL Mustard]

6. I walked by the press room last week

There were something like three journalists' cards on the board...with space for about 30. I'll have to check it out this week to see if it's changed.

[JohnnyRingo]

8. Maybe they should have stayed and sought out loopholes.

It's the American way, after all.
They could print quotes from undisclosed sources or report that Pistol Pete censored something we need to know, then flirt with the gist of it. Worst thing that could happen is they would be banned, but that's where we are now anyway.

[highplainsdem]

10. The moment they published an unauthorized story they'd be out, and accused of dishonesty for

having signed the agreement. They'd have lost credibility with both sides.

Without signing, they'll still hear from sources in the Pentagon, who wouldn't have been likely to try to tell them secrets at the Pentagon anyway, given the likelihood of surveillance.

[twodogsbarking]

9. Freedom is just another word for something we don't have.

[mdbl]

11. Don't count on any accurate information

I'll just ignore them and count the missiles on my own.