As the repercussions of the 2024 election continue to unfold rapidly, a new development has emerged: The Department of Defense has instructed The New York Times, NBC News, National Public Radio, and Politico to vacate their longstanding offices within the Pentagon within two weeks.
Replacing three of these outlets are more Trump-friendly replacements: the New York Post, One America News Network, and Breitbart. HuffPost news will be taking over Politico’s former office space. The Pentagon Press Association expressed concern over the DOD’s decision, stating that it was “greatly troubled by this unprecedented move to single out highly professional media.”
The sudden eviction notice from the revered “Correspondents’ Corridor” is part of a new annual media rotation program for the Pentagon Press Corps. The program aims to provide access to a wider range of media outlets that have not previously had the privilege of physical office space within the Pentagon.
While the displaced outlets will retain their status as members of the Pentagon Press Corps, they will no longer have physical workspaces in the building. This move has sparked criticism from former members of the Pentagon Press Corps, who argue that losing physical workspaces puts them at a disadvantage in covering news.
The Pentagon Press Corps consists of over two dozen outlets, with one outlet from each medium rotating out annually. The inclusion of Breitbart and One America News Network in the rotation has drawn backlash from establishment media, particularly the displacement of NPR and NBC News.
Politico’s removal from its Pentagon office has been seen as a form of retribution for the outlet’s role in spreading misinformation about Hunter Biden’s laptop during the 2020 election. The National Press Club has expressed concern over the Defense Department’s decision, emphasizing the importance of transparency and press freedom.
The Pentagon’s move to rotate media outlets follows a similar trend in the White House, where press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced a broader approach to media access, including alternative outlets. The shake-up in media access points to a shift towards greater diversity in viewpoints in media coverage.
With the ongoing changes in media access and representation, the landscape of journalism in the Trump II era continues to evolve. What surprises await next?
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