All articles tagged with #pentagon
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., voided key parts of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s revised policy restricting press access to the Pentagon, ruling the curtailment of First Amendment rights unlawful and ordering the Pentagon to fully restore Times reporters’ access and file a sworn compliance declaration by April 16; the Defense Department plans to appeal.
A federal judge ruled the Defense Department violated a court order by imposing strict reporting limits and by issuing a new press policy at the Pentagon; the policy was struck down, the judge ordered the reinstatement of New York Times reporters' press passes, and directed a sworn compliance declaration by April 16, with some escort-based access restrictions remaining and the Pentagon planning to appeal.
The Vatican rejected media claims that Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the pope’s U.S. representative, was given a “bitter lecture” during a January Pentagon meeting with U.S. defense officials, saying the encounter was a normal, cordial exchange. The Department of Defense described the meeting as substantive and respectful, noting discussions on morality in foreign policy and other topics, while the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See echoed Pierre’s account of a frank but courteous meeting.
A Vatican diplomat characterized a January Pentagon encounter with Trump administration officials and Cardinal Christophe Pierre as a tense, aggressive confrontation described as bullying, with U.S. officials allegedly insisting the U.S. military could act as it saw fit and pressing the pope to side with Trump. The disclosures follow reporting by The Free Press and The Pillar, prompting denials from the Trump camp and a counter-narrative from the Pentagon, while tensions between the Vatican and the Trump White House deepen amid Leo XIV’s criticisms of Trump’s policies.
The Pentagon and the Vatican denied reports that a US official berated Vatican envoy Cardinal Christophe Pierre in January over Pope Leo XIV’s criticism of US policy on Iran, saying the meeting with Elbridge Colby was respectful and cordial. The pope’s comments on Iran and US diplomacy remain a point of tension, and gossip of a potential papal visit to the U.S. in 2026 was disputed, with the Vatican noting the pope will not go to the United States that year; he is scheduled to visit Lampedusa on July 4.
A federal judge voided the Defense Department's renewed press restrictions at the Pentagon, ruling they unlawfully curtailed media access and mirrored an earlier unconstitutional policy; the department plans to appeal as press access remains contested.
Survivors of the Port Shuaiba attack dispute Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s claim that the target was fortified and that a “squirter” slipped through, saying the unit was unprepared and exposed; they describe chaotic triage and evacuation as CBS News reports challenge the official version while the investigation continues.
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled the Pentagon violated a court injunction by restricting credentialed reporters and ordered the department to immediately restore their press access, criticizing the department’s new rules as a blatant attempt to evade the ruling amid ongoing litigation with The New York Times and other outlets.
A recent report details a confrontational January Pentagon meeting in which Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby allegedly warned Cardinal Christophe Pierre that the U.S. has the power to act militarily and urged the Vatican to side with Washington, prompting Pope Leo XIV to cancel a planned U.S. visit. The Vatican framed the warning as unprecedented intimidation, drawing comparisons to the Avignon papacy; the White House disputed the portrayal and said the meeting was respectful.
Survivors of the March 1 Iranian drone strike in Kuwait dispute the Pentagon’s account, saying their Port of Shuaiba unit was unprepared and inadequately fortified, contributing to six deaths and more than 20 wounded; eyewitness accounts describe chaotic triage, rapid evacuations to Kuwaiti hospitals, and questions about why troops remained within drone range as investigators review the incident.
A federal judge grilled the Pentagon over its latest press restrictions during a hearing, following a court order that blocked the policy; the Pentagon curtailed access by shutting the Correspondents’ Corridor and routing reporters to a different escorted area, prompting The New York Times to sue and argue the move violates the First Amendment. The judge gave government lawyers until Tuesday to respond to the Times’ complaints, and had previously ordered NYT Pentagon reporters’ passes reinstated in a March ruling.
CNN portrays Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as the administration’s primary public messenger for the Iran campaign, bridging behind-the-scenes strategy with highly visible briefings to sell military progress. Sources say he amplified a combative, pro-military narrative while downplaying risks, even as the conflict reaches a pivotal early stage with Hormuz disruptions and ongoing questions about ground troops and strategic objectives.
The Financial Times reported that Pete Hegseth’s Morgan Stanley broker approached BlackRock in February about a multimillion-dollar investment in the iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF, which holds major defense names like RTX, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman; the investment did not proceed because the ETF wasn’t yet available to Morgan Stanley clients. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell rejected the report as “entirely false and fabricated,” saying neither Hegseth nor his representatives pursued such an investment. The piece appears in the context of the ongoing Iran conflict and related regional tensions.
The New York Times reports that the Pentagon is flouting a federal judge’s order to provide access to information, underscoring ongoing debates over government transparency and the potential legal consequences for noncompliance.
About 30 onshore wind projects totaling roughly 7.5 GW are stalled by Pentagon mitigation reviews, delaying turbines over radar and aviation concerns. The American Clean Power Association is pressuring for explanations, highlighting how the delays feed the broader fight over permitting reform and wind-energy policy.