The Pentagon's decision to bar press photographers from recent Defence Department briefings, reportedly after aides deemed images of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth 'unflattering', has turned a routine media protocol into a flashpoint over transparency and control.
The move marks a significant break from long-standing Pentagon practice, where accredited wire-service photographers routinely document briefings involving senior defence officials. It also comes amid an already strained relationship between the Department of Defense and parts of the Washington press corps.
