Esra Tekin
21 March 2026•Update: 21 March 2026
ISTANBUL
A federal court in the US on Friday ruled that the Department of Defense’s (Pentagon) restrictions on the press violated freedom of speech rights protected by the Constitution.
The federal court announced its decision in a lawsuit filed by The New York Times in December 2025, alleging that the Pentagon had restricted freedom of expression, according to The Hill.
Federal Judge Paul Friedman ruled that the Pentagon’s restrictions on the press violated freedom of speech rights guaranteed under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
In its decision, the court acknowledged the need to protect national security, military personnel, and war plans.
However, it underlined that, in the context of US actions toward Venezuela and Iran, public access to diverse perspectives on government activities is more important than ever.
According to the verdict, the Pentagon’s policies created uncertainty about how journalists could carry out their work.
"In sum, the Policy on its face makes any newsgathering and reporting not blessed by the Department a potential basis for the denial, suspension, or revocation of a journalist’s badge," the judge said in his 40-page ruling.
“It provides no way for journalists to know how they may do their jobs without losing their credentials," it added.
The decision also noted that the Pentagon’s new media policies were so vague that they violated constitutional guarantees of due process.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement posted on US social media company X that they disagreed with the ruling and would immediately begin the appeals process.
Meanwhile, The New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said the paper welcomed the decision, which strengthens the constitutional protections of a free press in the country.
Stadtlander stressed that Americans have the right to know how the government functions and how the military operates on behalf of the public and with taxpayer funding.
He added that the ruling once again reaffirmed the right of independent media to ask questions in the public interest.
