Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listens during a press briefing at the Pentagon, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, reflected in a window, gestures during a press briefing at the Pentagon, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) NEW YORK (AP) — The Pentagon has not permitted photographers to cover Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s last two briefings on the war in Iran, and hasn’t explained the change in longstanding policy.
Main Idea: The Pentagon has blocked photographers from covering Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s last two briefings on the war in Iran, without saying why.
Key Points:
Blocking photographers from Pentagon briefings can weaken public oversight and make it harder for voters and taxpayers to see how military decisions are being handled.
No clear positive impact identified.
Rate how each entity in this article affected the American people.
Central official whose briefings and Pentagon access decisions drive the story.
Central institution implementing the photographer access change and managing the briefings.
The department under Hegseth making the contested access and media policy changes.
Named as the administration leader tied to the broader media restrictions and war-related comments.
Named White House press secretary quoted responding to the Iran bombing investigation and media criticism.
Central military actor in the Iran bombing investigation and target attribution discussion.
The federal court handling The New York Times lawsuit over the Pentagon rules.
Comments here are the same thread shown when this article appears in The Pulse.
No comments on this article yet.
Sign in to commentPentagon spokesman who declined to comment on the photographer access issue.