A federal judge is exposing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after ruling that the Pentagon is in violation of his earlier order to restore access to journalists. U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman sided with The New York Times for the second time in a month. He had previously ruled that the Pentago n’s new credential policy violated journalists’ constitutional rights to free speech and due process. A late-night drinking rumor tied to Pete Hegseth’s inner circle sparked scrutiny inside Washington, even as the Pentagon quickly dismissed the claims as gossip. (Photo credit: Alex Wong / Getty Images) Hegseth announced the new rules last October that allowed the Pentagon to revoke journalists’ press passes. Friedman said Thursday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s team had tried to evade his March 20 ruling by putting in new rules that expel all reporters from the building unless guided by “escorts.” ‘We Are So Cooked’: Trump Drops Cryptic All-Caps Message Ahead of Peace Talks Like He’s in Control As New Warning Signals Something Much Worse for Americans MSN reports the ruling also addressed the Pentagon’s “inducement of unauthorized disclosure” provision, which attempted to restrict journalists from soliciting information, classified or unclassified, that was not approved for release. This is the latest setback in the administration’s efforts to interfere with journalists’ work. The Department of Justice announced Wednesday the arrest of a U.S. Army veteran accused of sharing top secret information with a journalist for nearly four years. Courtney P. Williams, a former U.S. Special Operations Command member, was indicted by a grand jury and charged with violating the Espionage Act in connection with the alleged transmission of classified national defense information, according to USA TODAY. “Let this serve as a message to any would-be leakers: We’re working these cases, and we’re making arrests,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on social media. “This FBI will not tolerate those who seek to betray our country and put Americans in harm’s way.” Court documents show that from January 2022 through August 2025, Williams, who signed a nondisclosure agreement upon hire, “repeatedly communicated classified national defense information” to a journalist over the phone and via text messages. The journalist and their outlet were not identified in the court filings. Friedman’s fiery ruling also included a seemingly personal note for Hegseth. “The Court cannot conclude this Opinion without noting once again what this case is really about: the attempt by the Secretary of Defense to dictate the information received by the American people, to control the message so that the public hears and sees only what the Secretary and the Trump Administration want them to hear and see,” He said. “The Constitution demands better. The American public demands better, too.” The Daily Beast reports the Pentagon referred to a statement from Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, who said they “disagree” with the court’s ruling and intend to appeal. Pete Hegseth Attempts a Backdoor Move to Control the Press — Judge Sees Right Through It and Exposes the Whole Play In Brutal Detail ...read more read less