The Pentagon is set to launch an "annual media rotation program," aimed at rotating credentialed media outlets from their assigned workspaces to make way for newer media entrants. This program, announced by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, will commence on February 14th and is part of the Trump administration's initiative to blend traditional news organizations with a diverse range of non-traditional media, including podcasters, bloggers, and influencers from platforms like TikTok.
This program will see significant changes in workspace assignments at the Pentagon. Notably, NPR will be replaced by Breitbart, while NBC News will be substituted by One America News Network. Furthermore, the New York Post will take over the workspace previously held by the New York Times, and HuffPost will step in for Politico. However, it is important to highlight that HuffPost currently lacks a dedicated Pentagon correspondent.
Leavitt emphasized the importance of adapting to the changing media landscape during the announcement. The opening question was directed to John Ashbrook, host of the Ruthless Podcast, which Leavitt described as one of the most influential podcasts in the United States.
Despite the apparent intent to diversify media representation within the Pentagon, the program is largely seen as symbolic. Jonathan Ullyot, a Pentagon spokesperson, noted in a memo that the changes are part of a "new media rotation program." Importantly, access to Pentagon briefings will remain unchanged for the affected outlets.
The decision has been met with criticism. Kevin Baron, a former vice-president of the Pentagon Press Association, expressed concern over what he termed "the erasure of journalism at the Pentagon." NBC News voiced its disappointment regarding the decision, stating it was "disappointed by the decision to deny us access to a broadcasting booth at the Pentagon that we’ve used for many decades." They pledged to "continue to report with the same integrity and rigor" despite this setback.
NPR also reacted to the changes, asserting their commitment to maintaining quality reporting: "We will continue to report with vigor and integrity on the transformation this administration has promised to deliver." They called for expanding the offices available to press within the building so that all outlets covering the Pentagon receive equal access.