Pentagon bars press photographers over ‘unflattering’ Hegseth photos
By: Scott Nover (The Washington Post)
CREDIBILITY?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
March 11, 2026 -- The Defense Department has barred press photographers from briefings on the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military conflict with Iran after they published photos of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that his staff deemed “unflattering,” according to two people familiar with the decision who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation.
The March 2 briefing came days after a joint military strike on Iran that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28. It was also the first time the defense secretary had appeared behind the briefing room podium since June 26.
Several outlets including the Associated Press, Reuters and Getty Images sent photographers to the briefing from Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
But after they published photos — which have broad reach because they are licensed by publications globally — members of Hegseth’s staff told colleagues that they did not like the way that the secretary looked. Hegseth’s aides decided to shut out photographers from the two subsequent briefings at the Pentagon, on March 4 and March 10, according to the two people familiar with the decision.
In a statement, 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. 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.”
White House principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly declined to comment on Hegseth’s decision to shut out reporters.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has repeatedly sparred with the press since being confirmed at the outset of President Donald Trump’s second term. Tensions hit a fever pitch in October when hundreds of credentialed Pentagon reporters turned in their credentials and dozens walked out of the building after refusing to sign a policy prohibiting journalists from soliciting any information the government did not authorize.
The New York Times and one of its reporters, Julian E. Barnes, has sued the government alleging that the policy violated their constitutional protections of press freedom and due process. That case is ongoing, and a federal judge in Washington is weighing motions for summary judgment following Friday’s oral arguments.
After the mass exodus of reporters, which included The Post, a new, largely right-wing press corps signed on. They later received a December meet-and-greet with Hegseth and a press briefing with Wilson. But until last week, Hegseth had still not done an on-camera briefing for the new crop of media.
That changed after the strikes in Iran. Hegseth and Caine’s March 2 press briefing was initially meant to involve only newly credentialed media, but after the department requested a TV camera from the major broadcast networks, the journalists who had relinquished their badges negotiated an agreement to allow some of them in the briefing room, a lawyer for the Pentagon Press Association said in court Friday.
It is unclear whether one particular photo — or the sum total of the day’s shots — led to consternation among Hegseth’s staff. When photographers showed up for last Wednesday’s briefing they were not allowed in, according to two other people familiar with the situation who also spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation.
Since then, only the Defense Department’s staff photographers have been permitted into the briefings.
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The entire Trump administration must be using SNL scripts to guide policy decisions.
Which photo?
Hegseths suits all look too small for him to me. I think he wants to be seen as a he- man.
Remember Stretch Armstrong?
He looks good!
what is he wearing on his suit? One looks like a National Service Medal. Ya get that one just for serving during a time of conflict. I got one. No points toward promotion. Both medals look like they were the ones given out just for showing up
Took a bit of searching but I think the lapel pin is the regimental crest of the 187th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. According to published info, Hegseth served with the 3rd Battalion in Iraq in 2005-6.
thanks for the info and looking it up
given for showing up
I thought he was Air Force? That's an Army Regiment
According to Google Search and Gemini AI, Hegseth was a ground pounder. The available info shows Hegseth was a platoon leader in Baghdad and then an assistant civil affairs officer in Samarra (whatever that is). Hegseth was National Guard (not regular army) with deployments to Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Apparently Hegesth achieved the rank of Major. If Hegseth was stationed at Camp Victory then he was in a combat zone.
I don't think the National Guard and reserves can be considered weekend warriors any longer.
Thanks for the info. With his arrogance I thought he was AF. We AF veterans are very arrogant.
I agree that the NG are no longer weekend warriors, but I would rather a 5 star general be the SecDef not a major
No, Navy aviators wrote the manual on arrogant. The AF zoomies aren't even close.
I'm not sure I agree with that. SecDef does need more than OCS and MOS training.
(As a tangential side note, did you know that the Civil Service had its own form of OCS training? OPM Leadership Training prepared civil servants to move into the ranks of managers.)
Nope, did not know that.