WASHINGTON, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. issued the following statement today following a Washington Post report that the Pentagon barred news photographers after images of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were deemed unflattering:
“The decision to bar independent news photographers from Pentagon press briefings is deeply troubling and runs counter to the fundamental principles of transparency in a democratic society.
The National Press Club urges the Department of Defense to immediately restore access for credentialed news photographers and reaffirm its commitment to open engagement with the press. A government confident in its actions welcomes scrutiny. It does not restrict it.
Photojournalists play a vital role in informing the public. Their work allows Americans not only to read about government actions, but to see them with their own eyes. At moments of national consequence, particularly when the United States is engaged in military operations, the public has a profound right to witness how their government handles critical actions that have global implications.
When the government decides which images the public is allowed to see, transparency is replaced by control. Accountability doesn’t take place behind closed doors.
Independent photojournalism is a cornerstone of a free society and an essential part of documenting history as it happens.
If the Pentagon believes the public deserves to be informed, it should allow journalists to bear witness, not restrict them when the images are inconvenient.”
Contact: Beth Francesco, National Press Club Journalism Institute
media@press.org
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SOURCE National Press Club
