Pentagon bars photographers from briefings after ‘unflattering’ Pete Hegseth images

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The US Defense Department has banned press photographers from briefings on the continuing battle with Iran after printed images of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had been deemed “unflattering” by his workers, The Washington Post reported final Wednesday.

Hegseth appeared on the briefing room podium on March 2nd, simply days after the joint Israeli-US strikes on Iran started, which, in accordance with the outlet, marked his first look there since June 26, 2025.

According to the report, a number of retailers, together with the Associated Press, Reuters, and Getty Images, despatched photographers to the briefing, however after publishing the images, members of Hegseth’s workers instructed colleagues they didn’t like how he appeared.

Additionally, photographers have been shut out of the following briefings on the battle with Iran, the American outlet famous.

In an announcement cited by The Washington Post, the Pentagon press secretary, Kingsley Wilson, wrote, “In order to use space in the Pentagon Briefing Room effectively, we are allowing one representative per news outlet if uncredentialed, excluding pool.”

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025 in Quantico, Virginia.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to senior army leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025 in Quantico, Virginia. (credit score: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“Photographs from the briefings are immediately released online for the public and press to use. If that hurts the business model for certain news outlets, then they should consider applying for a Pentagon press credential, ” Wilson wrote.

Hegseth’s ongoing battle with the press

Since being confirmed initially of Trump’s second time period, Hegseth has repeatedly clashed with the press, with tensions reaching a peak in October as a whole lot of credentialed Pentagon reporters turned of their credentials, refusing to signal a coverage requiring journalists to acquire approval earlier than reporting on info, together with unclassified materials.

Following the reporters’ turning of their credentials, a brand new press corps took over, receiving a meet-and-greet with Hegseth in December. Until March 2, Hegseth had reportedly not appeared in an on-camera briefing.

The briefing was initially purported to be restricted to newly credentialed media, however journalists who had relinquished their badges negotiated an settlement to be allowed into the briefing room, The Washington Post reported, citing a lawyer for the Pentagon Press Association.

Following the publication of pictures taken by these journalists, solely workers photographers from the Defense Department have been allowed to attend briefings, the paper reported.

It’s unclear whether or not Hegseth’s workers had been upset with a specific {photograph} or with the images from the day as a complete, however the transfer has drawn backlash from the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA).

“Excluding photographers from Pentagon briefings because officials did not like how published images portrayed them shows an astonishingly poor sense of priorities in the midst of a war and is, for a public servant, not a good look,” NPPA President Alex Garcia stated.

“A free press cannot function if government officials decide that only favorable images of public officials may be created or distributed.”


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