‘I don’t think so’: Trump asked if Pentagon can ‘dictate’ reporters’ coverage

Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he “doesn’t think” the Pentagon should “dictate” what reporters can cover regarding the nation’s defence. “No, I don’t think so. Nothing stops reporters,” Trump said briefly as he prepared to travel to Arizona for a memorial honouring his late ally, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead on September 10.Also Read – ‘97 per cent bad’: Donald Trump criticizes US media for negative coverage; calls it ‘illegal’His comment came in response to a reporter’s question, but it seemed to reflect his personal view rather than indicate any potential policy change.The remarks follow a Friday announcement from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who said journalists covering the Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) must “pledge to limit” what they report. Hegseth wrote on X: “The ‘press’ does not run the Pentagon — the people do.”Under the new policy, all information must be approved by an authorising official before public release, even if unclassified. Violations could result in suspension or revocation of building access, effectively barring reporters from covering the Department of War—commonly referred to as the “Pentagon” after its Washington D.C. headquarters.The controversy coincides with criticism of the Trump administration over alleged pressure that led to ABC’s suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” following a monologue in which Kimmel, a vocal Trump critic, discussed Kirk’s assassination. Kimmel had challenged the president’s supporters for “desperately trying to characterise this kid (22-year-old Tyler Robinson) who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”