Federal appeals court allows Pentagon to temporarily require escorts for journalists | CNN Politics

A federal appeals court on Monday ruled the Pentagon can require escorts for journalists inside the building while litigation over the Defense Department’s restrictive press policy continues. In a 2-1 ruling, the panel found the Pentagon is likely to succeed in arguing its new escort policy is valid, pausing a lower court order that restricted the Pentagon from implementing the policy. The decision comes weeks after senior US District Judge Paul Friedman voided parts of the Pentagon’s latest press policy, which was announced after Friedman blocked an earlier set of Pentagon restrictions that he found in March violated the First Amendment. Under the new policy, Friedman ruled on April 9, the Pentagon “has invoked slightly different language” but was still violating the constitutional rights of national security reporters who have long been granted access to its headquarters. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell on Monday welcomed the court’s decision, writing on X, “The Department looks forward to presenting its full case to the D.C. Circuit on the merits.” The New York Times filed the suit challenging the Pentagon’s press policies late last year, arguing it violates its