The Pentagon is stacking its new press corps with a number of right-wing media outlets, MAGA influencers, and conspiracy theorists.
It comes after the vast majority of the traditional media refused to agree to new rules rolled out under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and were forced to turn in their credentials last week.
“Today, the Department of War is announcing the next generation of the Pentagon press corps,” wrote chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell on Wednesday.
He claimed over 60 “journalists, representing a broad spectrum of new media outlets and independent journalists,” signed the Pentagon’s access policy.
Parnell did not reveal who exactly would be members of its new press corps, but it is dominated by conservative media outlets and influencers, including LindellTV, The Gateway Pundit, Real America’s Voice, Turning Points USA Frontlines, The Post Millennial, The National Pulse and RedState, as well as Timcast.
Several pro-Trump influencers and right-wing outlets have also been given greater access to the White House and Trump events as the president leans heavily on friendly personalities happy to heap praise on him and his policies since the start of his second term.
Members of the old Pentagon press corps, some of whom have covered the Defense Department for decades under multiple administrations, packed up and exited the building after refusing to sign the new media agreement.
The rules included the agreement that any Defense Department information obtained by a member had to be approved for release by an authorized official, even if it was unclassified.
The document also threatened to criminalize national security reporting and could have exposed journalists seeking information from sources to prosecution.
Hegseth downplayed the access changes and claimed the new rules were to prevent members of the press from wandering the building, including into classified areas, without badges.
However, longtime members of the old press corps repeatedly pointed out that they were already required to wear badges at the Pentagon and were not allowed to wander aimlessly, as the former TV personality-turned-defense secretary claimed.
The updated rules came as Hegseth has attempted to clamp down on a series of leaks detailing the chaos within the department and raising questions about his competency in the job.
Even the president’s favorite channel and Hegseth’s former employer, Fox News, rejected the Pentagon’s media demands.
Today, the Department of War is announcing the next generation of the Pentagon press corps.We are excited to announce over 60 journalists, representing a broad spectrum of new media outlets and independent journalists, have signed the Pentagon’s media access policy and will be…
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) October 22, 2025
“New media outlets and independent journalists have created the formula to circumvent the lies of the mainstream media and get real news directly to the American people,” Parnell claimed in Wednesday’s announcement. “Their reach and impact collectively are far more effective and balanced than the self-righteous media who chose to self-deport from the Pentagon.”
Among those who signed onto the new access policy was LindellTV, started by known conspiracy theorist, Trump supporter and My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell.
“From day one, our mission has been to challenge narratives, question power, and report what others won’t,” LindellTV said in a statement on joining the new press corps. “This new chapter reaffirms that commitment and expands our ability to bring vital coverage from the Pentagon straight to the American people—without censorship, without spin.”
Another new member is Timcast, which was started by right-wing political commentator and podcast host Tim Pool.
He posted on X that Timcast plans to have its White House correspondent attend briefings “when feasible to ask policy-related questions and gather insights on Pentagon operations.”
“We aim to conduct podcast interviews whenever possible but do not intend to maintain a significant presence at the Pentagon or engage in in-depth investigative reporting, as specialized outlets do,” he wrote.
The Gateway Pundit is a far-right site that often dabbles in conspiracy theories founded by Trump supporter Jim Hoft.
While members of the former press corp no longer have access to the building, the reporting on Hegseth and the department has not faltered.
It comes after the increasingly paranoid Defense Department also issued a new memo cracking down on military contact with Congress.
The new memo directs all Defense Department personnel to only engage with members of Congress through the assistant secretary of legislative affairs in advance.
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