A bold statement: The Pentagon's new rules threaten to silence the press, but one journalist is standing up for truth and accountability.
Today, NPR faces a difficult choice: sign a controversial document or lose access to the Pentagon. This document, imposed by the Defense Department, warns journalists of potential press pass revocation for 'soliciting' unclassified information. No reputable news organization has signed, and over 100 Pentagon press are at risk.
For 28 years, I've held my press pass, reporting from combat zones and the Pentagon. I've spoken to officers from around the globe, getting their perspectives on the ground. As a journalist, it's my duty to uncover the truth, not blindly accept official narratives.
I remember when then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld celebrated the fall of Baghdad as a success. But an officer at the Pentagon told me otherwise. Saddam Hussein's supporters were attacking supply lines, and more troops were needed. This was due to an inadequate force deployment, a warning I received unsolicited from another general before the war began.
My reporting helped people understand the reality U.S. troops faced. The fall of Baghdad marked the beginning of a long insurgency, not a success. This is the part most people miss: the complex truth behind the headlines.
In 2009, I learned about the 'surge' of State Department employees to Afghanistan. A Marine officer later told me they never saw this surge. And the 'government in a box' for the provinces proved to be a failure. These stories, reported by me, showed the challenges on the ground.
Over the years, NPR reporters and I have spent time in combat zones, getting to know soldiers and Marines. We heard their perspectives, often different from official statements. Sometimes, progress or success was declared at the Pentagon, but out in the field, the truth was more complicated.
In June 2016, I was part of an NPR team embedded with Afghan forces to assess progress against the Taliban. We were ambushed, and I lost friends: photographer David Gilkey and translator Zabihullah Tammana. The U.S. general at a nearby base ordered an honor cordon for them, a gesture for fallen troops. It was a powerful moment, a tribute to journalists documenting the truth.
NPR's lobby memorializes David and Zabi, with one of David's cameras from that day. We've received information on failed policies, botched operations, and wasteful projects. This is our job: to inform the public and hold the government accountable.
But now, we're getting little information from the Pentagon. In 10 months, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has given just two briefings. There have been no background briefings, unlike in previous administrations, where regular press briefings were common.
Thomas Jefferson, no friend of the press, wrote that our liberty depends on a free press. A free and fair press is essential to democracy. So, how will the American people know what's being done at the Pentagon with their tax dollars and the decisions that affect their sons and daughters?
Without reporters asking questions, the Pentagon leadership may rely on social media and partisan commentators. But is this enough? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments.
