Reporters covering the Ministry of National Defense collectively returned their press passes and vacated the ministry press room in protest of the ministry's press guidelines.
On the 15th (local time), the Pentagon Press Association, the Ministry of National Defense press corps, issued a statement saying, "Today, the Ministry of National Defense confiscated the press passes of defense reporters from virtually all major news organizations in the United States."
It went on to criticize, "The Ministry of National Defense confiscated the passes because reporters said they would not sign in agreement with the new media policy."
Earlier, the Ministry of National Defense said it would revoke the press pass of any reporter who reports content not preapproved. It also notified the press that if they did not sign a pledge agreeing to this by 5 p.m. on the 14th, they must return their passes within 24 hours and vacate the building.
In response, not only major U.S. media outlets but also many foreign outlets that cover the Ministry of National Defense, including AFP, Al Jazeera, and the BBC, returned their passes. Fox News and Newsmax, which are friendly to the Donald Trump administration, also refused to sign the pledge, the Washington Post (WP) reported.
The association said, "Association members remain committed to reporting on the U.S. military," adding, "But make no mistake. Today, Oct. 15, 2025, is a dark day for press freedom."