Can Trump silence the press?
Americast
BBC
4.2 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 17 October 2025
⏱️ 36 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A major row has erupted between the US defense department and the journalists that cover its work after a memo was issued last month requiring journalists to accept a new set of reporting restrictions or face being barred from America’s military headquarters.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new policy would require journalists to sign an agreement stating they will only publish information “explicitly authorised” by the defense department. News outlets were nearly unanimous in rejecting the restrictions, prompting a major walkout from the Pentagon as journalists from all but one news organisation handed in their press passes.
The move reignites the Trump administration’s long-running feud with the press and its freedom to report on the White House. In today’s episode, we look at why the memo has been issued, and implications for freedom of the press and future reporting.
And, we speak to Newsmax’s James Rosen about why his news organisation refused to sign up to the new rules and the impact on wider reporting of the Trump administration.
HOSTS: • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations correspondent
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This episode was made by Purvee Pattni with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts. |
| 0:07.4 | I'm sure there used to be quiet news days. |
| 0:10.5 | Not anymore. |
| 0:11.5 | These days the news never stops and nor do we. |
| 0:14.4 | That's why there are new episodes of newscasts seven days a week. |
| 0:17.7 | And sometimes even that isn't enough. |
| 0:19.8 | Listen to newscast every day on BBC |
| 0:21.8 | Sounds. For the first time in decades, the press room at the Pentagon is now virtually empty. |
| 0:29.4 | Since we've been on the air, dozens of news outlets covering the Defense Department have left |
| 0:34.1 | the Pentagon after this is video of dozens of reporters turning in access badges they |
| 0:40.2 | exited the Pentagon today choosing not to agree to new government imposed restrictions on their work |
| 0:45.9 | reporters cleaned out their work spaces in the building before a 4 p.m. deadline to either sign the policy or |
| 0:52.8 | leave pentagon reporters have been in the building since Eisenhower. |
| 0:57.2 | The colleagues who joined us today as we walked out included members of the conservative |
| 1:03.8 | outlets and outlets that would be considered left-leaning because everybody knows that |
| 1:08.8 | you need all voices and you need all eyes on to provide transparency to the American public. |
| 1:14.8 | Yeah, that was journalist from dozens of different outlets, including the BBC, |
| 1:19.0 | who've refused to sign up to new rules that the Pentagon wants them to agree to, |
| 1:23.9 | but they say would restrict their ability to do their reporting properly. |
| 1:28.3 | So in this episode of AmeriCast, we're going to discuss all of that, but also ask what this tells us about |
| 1:33.5 | the Trump administration's relationship with the media and whether or not they are trying |
| 1:37.6 | to silence criticism. Welcome to AmeriCast. Americaast from BBC News. |
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