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Federal judge rules Pentagon’s new press access policy is unlawful

A federal judge has ruled that parts of the Pentagon’s new press access policy was unlawful.

Last fall, the Pentagon implemented the policy requiring credentialed reporters to accept restrictive requirements to maintain daily access to the building.

Many news organizations refused to consent to the new rules and stopped working out of the Pentagon.

In December, The New York Times sued the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing the policy was unlawful.

On Friday, the judge sided with the New York Times.

WTOP National Security Correspondent J.J. Green was one of the journalists who turned in his Pentagon press badge, rather than sign on to the DOD media guidelines.

He joined WTOP’s Ian Crawford to discuss the case.

Listen to the full interview below or read the transcript. The transcript has been lightly edited for clarity. 

With Trump in a holding pattern on Iran war, allies and critics worry he risks getting boxed in

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is facing warnings from foes and allies alike that he’s getting boxed in on the Iran war, a conflict he sold as a brief military incursion but that has since settled into a holding pattern. It's been nearly a week since U.S. and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative agreement to extend the ceasefire in the conflict by 60 days and start a new round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program that required Trump's sign off. But Trump has called for unspecified changes to the agreement and Iranian officials — perhaps calculating that the Republican president is reluctant to restart the bombardment after burning through key weapons systems — are showing no signs they'll give in to new demands. A series of strikes by the U.S. and Iran this week has raised fresh concern that the ceasefire could collapse. Trump on Wednesday downplayed the significance.
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