The Pentagon is shaking up its press corps, replacing major news organizations with pro-Trump outlets in a controversial move set to take effect February 14. Under the newly announced “annual media rotation program,” One America News Network (OANN) will take over NBC News’ space, while Breitbart replaces National Public Radio (NPR).
In another major shift, The New York Post will be invited to take over The New York Times’ spot, and HuffPost will replace Politico—making it the only non-conservative outlet benefiting from the changes.
Favoring Pro-Trump Media, Sidelining Mainstream Outlets
Three of the four swaps clearly favor smaller, right-wing media outlets over traditional news organizations with larger audiences. OANN, a far-right network, will replace NBC, a mainstream broadcaster with decades of Pentagon coverage. Breitbart, a conservative website with a limited radio presence, is set to take over for NPR, which provides national news coverage to public radio stations across the country.
The HuffPost move is the lone exception. The progressive outlet, which has been openly critical of Donald Trump, does not currently have a Pentagon correspondent. In response to the shift, a HuffPost spokesperson said, “If the Trump administration and Secretary Hegseth are interested in more hard-hitting coverage of their stewardship of the Defense Department from HuffPost, we are ready to deliver.”
NBC News expressed disappointment over losing its Pentagon workspace. “Despite the significant obstacles this presents to our ability to gather and report news in the national public interest, we will continue to report with the same integrity and rigor NBC News always has,” the network said in a statement.
Pentagon Defends Decision Amid Backlash
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Ullyot framed the decision as an effort to increase access for smaller outlets. “The year-by-year rotation program will broaden access to the limited space of the Correspondents’ Corridor to outlets that have not previously enjoyed the privilege and journalistic value of working from physical office space in the Pentagon,” he wrote in an internal memo.
The memo also made clear that the displaced outlets will still be part of the Pentagon press corps, maintaining access to briefings and the ability to travel with defense officials. “The only change will be giving up their physical workspaces in the building to allow new outlets to have their turn to become resident members of the Pentagon Press Corps,” Ullyot stated.
However, the decision is already facing scrutiny. Critics argue that the move prioritizes partisan media over long-established, reputable news organizations.
Kevin Baron, a former vice president of the Pentagon Press Association, called it “the erasure of journalism at the Pentagon.” He warned that losing a dedicated workspace will hurt reporters’ ability to cover defense issues effectively. “If you can’t file your stories from inside the building, you are disadvantaged,” Baron posted on X.
Press Freedom Advocates Raise Concerns
The National Press Club, a leading press freedom group, also slammed the decision. “Any action that restricts the ability of journalists to report on the operations of the U.S. government should alarm all who value transparency and press freedom,” said Club President Mike Balsamo.
The shift raises further questions about how the Trump administration, and new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, plan to manage media access at the Pentagon. Critics say the changes align with Trump’s broader push to undermine traditional media and boost loyalist outlets that echo his message.
Whether this new rotation system becomes a permanent fixture remains to be seen. But for now, NBC, NPR, The New York Times, and Politico are out—while Trump-friendly media outlets move in.
