Federal Judge Blocks Pentagon's Press Access Restrictions, Citing Threat to Democracy
A federal judge has issued a ruling against the Pentagon's attempt to limit press access, criticizing the Department of Defense for trying to circumvent a previous decision that voided parts of a restrictive press policy. The policy, introduced by Secretary Pete Hegseth, was deemed by US District Judge Paul Friedman as an attempt to suppress political speech, which he stated is characteristic of an autocracy rather than a democracy. The Pentagon had quickly implemented a tighter policy following the judge's initial ruling, prompting this latest legal challenge. The Department of Defense plans to appeal the decision. 
