She made clear, according to the reporters present, that she was watching what they wrote and put on-air - with the implication that there would be repercussions for stories she and her staff did not like. When reporters raised issues like vanishing access to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other top officials, Dana White pushed back by criticizing the accuracy of press corps members’ reporting.
The Pentagon’s top spokesperson was ostensibly seeking to make peace with the media when she headed down to the building’s press bullpen about three weeks ago for an off-the-record discussion on how to improve relations.īut the meeting quickly grew combative, according to three people who were in the room. The Pentagon’s press operation had already restricted access to briefings, interviews and travel with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, but several reporters said the situation is getting worse.
Pentagon punishes reporters over tough coverage – By Jason Schwartz () / Aug 16 2018Ĭoupled with eroding access to top Defense Department officials, Pentagon reporters say it’s becoming increasingly difficult to provide critical information to Americans.
