California Gov. Gavin Newsom has mocked the self-styled “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth over the apparent reasons behind his latest press crackdown.
Hegseth has decreed that he was ripping up the rule book on how journalists operate in the Pentagon, limiting newsgathering with a set of restrictive rules, which detractors say are designed to gag reporters.
A standoff over the new order has seen some usually loyal media outlets side with NPR and The New York Times against Hegseth.
Responding to pushback against the move, Hegseth wrote on X, “Pentagon access is a privilege, not a right.” He then offered a guide to “Department of War press credentialing FOR DUMMIES.”
“Press no longer roams free. Press must wear visible badge. Credentialed press no longer permitted to solicit criminal acts DONE. Pentagon now has same rules as every U.S military installation,” he wrote.
Newsom, whose memes and tweets have become a constant thorn in the Trump administration’s side, seized on the message and suggested that access is only available to those willing to act as sycophants to Hegseth and his department.
“NO FREE SPEECH, NO FREE PRESS IF YOU HURT POOR PETEY’S FEELINGS!!” Newsom declared, in Trumpian all-caps style.
The X exchange comes after media outlets across the political spectrum refused to agree to Hegseth’s new rules. Under the guidance, reporters are barred from seeking or publishing any information the Pentagon has not explicitly cleared. Those who refuse to sign up to this diktat by 5 p.m. Tuesday have 24 hours to hand over their credentials and vacate the building.
The Washington Post, The New York Times, the Associated Press, and CNN said they wouldn’t sign, as did the conservative Washington Times and the right-wing Newsmax. “Newsmax has no plans to sign the letter,” a spokesperson told The Post. “We are working in conjunction with other media outlets to resolve the situation.”
Fox News, where Hegseth was once a host, has yet to declare its position. Only the right-wing network One America News has agreed to sign.
Representatives from The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, Reuters, and The Guardian also said their titles would not agree to the conditions. Trade publications Task & Purpose and Breaking Defense concurred with this position.
John Ullyot, the former chief Pentagon spokesman who resigned in April and has since trashed the agency publicly, called the conditions “Soviet-style.”
“Hegseth should drop the Soviet-style restrictions, reopen the briefing room and follow the lead of President Trump and every other cabinet secretary by engaging regularly, confidently and conversationally with reporters of all stripes,” he told the WSJ.
Hegseth, however, responded to criticism by news groups by sarcastically waving goodbye to them on X.
Although Hegseth’s team routinely touts its “transparency,” his office booted four outlets from their Pentagon desks in January—replacing them with pro-Trump favorites, such as One America News and Breitbart. When reporters pushed back, officials doubled down, yanking four more outlets, including The Hill, from their workspaces.
In May, Hegseth barred reporters from roaming most Pentagon hallways—unless an official escort chaperoned them.
The Department of Defense has been contacted for comment.
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