Pentagon bans photojournalists from press conferences for taking “unflattering” photos of Pete Hegseth

These professionals would have been banned in at least two press conferences on the progress of the war against Iran for that reason.

As reported this Wednesday The Washington Postthe images that generated discomfort in the Pentagon chief’s team were taken on March 2 in the first appearance before journalists of Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, after the attacks launched against Iran together with Israel on February 28.

After the publication of these photos, the Secretary of War’s staff conveyed to his team that they did not like how their boss had turned out.

Therefore, they decided exclude photojournalists from the following briefings, held on March 4 and 10, Two anonymous sources with knowledge of the events told the American newspaper.

The controversial press conference was the first time that Hegseth appeared before reporters on the Pentagon podium since last June, after the Washington’s bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities.

International agencies such as Associated Press, Reuters, the European EPA and Getty sent professionals to this press conference.

War Department spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson explained in a statement that They are only allowing the entry of a representative by means of communication without a permanent credential to “effectively utilize space in the Pentagon press briefing room.”

“Photographs of the press conferences are immediately posted on the Internet for the public and the press to use. If that harms the business model of certain media, then they should consider applying for press accreditation from the Pentagon,” he warned.

Constant attacks on the press

Since returning to power in January, the president Donald Trump has redoubled its attacks on the press, often going as far as offending reporters who ask questions that the president considers offensive.

As an example, last November the Republican attacked women journalists. He called Catherine Lucey, a correspondent for Bloomberg in the White House and days later he pointed out with a Truth Social post to Katie Rogersa reporter from ‘The New York Times’, whom he called “ugly inside and out.”

Members of his Cabinet, including Hegseth, have also taken similar stances with the press.

Consequently, the renamed War Department – the one that receives the most federal public funds – stopped holding his usual weekly press conferences or reporting in detail on military operations of public interest such as the attack on boats supposedly used for drug trafficking in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

In October, the Pentagon withdrew the credentials of the vast majority of media after they refused to accept new rules that establish strict limitations on access to facilities and the use of sources, and raised the possibility of sanctions for requesting information of public interest without authorization, even when it is not classified.