In a move that has sparked intense criticism, the Pentagon has quietly restructured its press access, replacing major, long-established news outlets with far-right, hyper-partisan media organizations. This shift—announced in an internal memo from Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Ullyot—applies to the Correspondents’ Corridor, the core space where journalists gather news directly from the Department of Defense.
For anyone who values a free and independent press, this is a deeply troubling development.
A Media Takeover in Plain Sight
Who’s Out, Who’s In?
The shift removes several respected news organizations from Pentagon coverage, replacing them with far-right propaganda outlets that prioritize ideology over journalistic integrity:
| Previous Outlet | New Outlet | What This Means |
|---|---|---|
| The New York Times (Print Press) | New York Post | Replacing serious investigative journalism with a conservative tabloid known for sensationalist coverage. |
| NBC News (TV Press) | OANN (One America News Network) | Replacing mainstream broadcast journalism with a pro-Trump, conspiracy-laden channel that has openly spread disinformation. |
| NPR (Radio Press) | Breitbart | Replacing a publicly funded, in-depth news organization with a far-right opinion platform that fuels culture wars. |
| POLITICO (Online Press) | HuffPost News | The only progressive outlet left, but this token placement does not counterbalance the dominance of far-right media in print, TV, and radio. |
This shift effectively creates a media monopoly inside the Pentagon, where three of the four primary press outlets now lean heavily toward right-wing propaganda.
The Erasure of Journalism at the Pentagon
Former Pentagon Press Association VP Kevin Baron didn’t hold back when calling this move what it is: “the erasure of journalism at the Pentagon.”
The job of the press is to hold power accountable—especially in an institution as massive and influential as the U.S. military. By replacing respected journalism with partisan outlets, the Pentagon is signaling that it no longer values objective reporting. Instead, it’s curating a media environment that serves political messaging rather than public interest.
This is not just an attack on media freedom—it’s state-sponsored propaganda in action.
Why This Shift Benefits the Far Right
It’s no coincidence that these three new media choices—New York Post, OANN, and Breitbart—align almost exclusively with the MAGA movement. This realignment serves a political purpose:
- Mainstreaming Right-Wing Narratives – By ensuring that military-related news is filtered through hyper-conservative sources, the Pentagon reinforces a partisan echo chamber for millions of Americans.
- Controlling Public Perception of Military Affairs – OANN and Breitbart are not investigative outlets. They serve as mouthpieces for conservative agendas, meaning less scrutiny on military spending, policy failures, or corruption.
- Isolating Progressive and Center-Left Audiences – Keeping HuffPost as the only progressive platform does not balance this shift. Instead, it gives the illusion of fairness while ensuring that the majority of Pentagon narratives are shaped by the right-wing press.
This is how media manipulation works—by gradually replacing respected outlets with ideological ones, the public loses access to objective, fact-based reporting.
Is This a Sign of Right-Wing Media Control?
While conservatives love to claim that the media is “too liberal,” moves like this prove they’re actively working to take control of mainstream information channels.
- Three out of four Pentagon press positions now cater to a far-right audience.
- Only one progressive outlet remains, and it’s an online-only source.
- This mirrors broader right-wing efforts to reshape media landscapes, from defunding public broadcasters like NPR to attacking “mainstream” journalism as biased.
If the only “acceptable” media sources are conservative, that’s not media diversity—that’s media control.
The Bigger Picture: What Comes Next?
This change isn’t just about the Pentagon—it’s part of a broader assault on independent journalism. If the Department of Defense can hand-pick which news outlets report from inside its walls, what’s stopping other government agencies from doing the same?
We’ve already seen state-level attacks on press freedom, with conservative lawmakers banning certain outlets from covering government events. The Pentagon’s press shake-up is another step toward consolidating right-wing influence over news coverage.
Final Thoughts: Defend a Free Press Before It’s Too Late
This isn’t about left vs. right—it’s about truth vs. propaganda. The Pentagon’s decision to replace respected media organizations with ideological echo chambers should concern anyone who values transparency, accountability, and factual reporting.
A free press exists to challenge power, not to serve it. If this trend continues, the public will no longer receive truthful reporting about military operations, government policies, or defense spending—instead, they’ll get carefully crafted narratives designed to serve political interests.
Now more than ever, we need to support independent journalism, push back against state-sponsored media manipulation, and demand that our government uphold the principles of a free press.
Because if we don’t fight for it now, we may wake up in a country where truth is no longer an option.